Never Be The Same
by The Doctor's Charlene
Summary: Book 2 of the CCW Series. Charlene Davis's life changed for the better when she entered the world of Doctor Who. But it turns out, she isn't who she thought she was. She was the Protector, a Time Lady destined to Protect the Doctor...more inside...
1. The Runaway Bride, Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Summary:** Sequel to CCW. Charlene Davis's life changed for the better when she entered the world of Doctor Who. But it turns out, she isn't who she thought she was. She was the Protector, destined to Protect the Doctor. Watch as she steps into her Time Lord role as she travels with the Doctor in Time and Space, Battling New Foes, Old Foes, and Making New friends along the way. Things will never be the same…

**Author's Note:** Welcome to the sequel of my Doctor Who fanfic, Charlene, Charlene Who! Isn't this exciting?! As you can tell, I'm really excited for the sequel to my finished work. I hope that it will be as amazing as CCW was. At least I'm going to try and make it that way. Now this story will follow the third and fourth season and I'm telling you now, the Doctor will regenerate at the end of season four.

I love Ten from the universe and back, but I really want to write for Eleven because I haven't written him before. So those hoping that Ten wouldn't regenerate, it's not gonna happen. Also another thing just because Charlene (The Protector) has a connection to the Master that doesn't mean he's going to be saved or healed or something like because to be honest, I just don't see the Master not being the way he is. The Master is the Master and that won't change. The Runaway Bride is one of my favorite episodes because the Super Temp Donna Noble is in it!

And I'm really excited to work on it in the story. Though Charlene has regenerated, she's still the same person but with some personality changes. In this body, she's more impulsive as she doesn't think before she acts, she can also be very blunt as going to be seen in a future scene of this episode, she's more flirtatious (not as much as a certain Jack Harkness though), and … some other things I can't think of at the moment. The style of clothing she wears is different too, it's more Buffy like in a sense, but what she wore in later seasons. But right now she's wearng what she wore in Doomsday. Okay I think that's all I have to tell you…anyway! Enjoy the first part of the Runaway Bride episode! :D

_Edit:_ Chapter has now been BETAed by Yhoretta, who also made the new cover for the story! Doesn't it look awesome?

* * *

Donna Noble stepped inside the church with her father, Geoff, ready for the happiest day of her life. Her wedding day. To be honest, Donna never thought she would be getting married. She had just never found the right person, but she wasn't getting any younger and she wanted to get married. She was the only one of her friends who wasn't and it didn't help that her mother wanted her to get married too before she got 'too old'.

But those weren't the only reasons. She wanted to get married because she _finally_ found the right person, the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, and his name was Lance. Donna really couldn't be happier that she'd found a person that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. It was about time for her father to give her away. He had his arm linked around with hers rather than the other way around. She rolled her eyes fondly at her father and gave an innocent little cough while swapping the position on their arms.

"Sorry," her father muttered to her.

It was then that the organ began playing and Donna sighed happily to herself. It was finally that time. Lance, who stood in front of the church, caught her eye and they smiled at each other in anticipation. He wanted to get married as much as she did. Donna and her father began to walk slowly down the aisle, which brought on sounds of appreciation from their friends and family. Well- except Nerys, who was looking her up and down with pure contempt. Donna noticed this of course but paid no heed to it. She wasn't about to let _anyone_ ruin her day. If only she knew that there wouldn't have a choice.

They got half-way down the aisle when she started to get this tingly feeling from top to bottom. She saw Lance's eyes widen and she finally took notice to the fact that she was glowing. She screamed, long and hard, closing her eyes tightly as she felt herself disappear. What the hell was going on?!

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar place. It wasn't long until she heard an unfamiliar voice from behind her.

"What?" It was a woman and she sounded as if she were in shock.

Then came another voice, but this time coming from a man, "What?!"

Donna spun around at that moment, letting out a yelp when she saw a man with messy brown hair that went in all directions, brown eyes, and a brown pinstriped suit with a long brown coat. He was surprised, if the look on his face were any hint. Behind him was a woman who looked to be about nineteen years old. She was rather pretty.

_'That doesn't matter right now!'_ she scolded herself. '_All that matters is finding out where I am and who the hell these people are!_'

"Who are you?" Was the first thing that she demanded.

"But—" The man looked around, dumbfounded, while the woman just stared at her, shock clearly still etched in her features.

"Where am I?" Donna demanded once more, already getting frustrated and mad with this gaping imbecile, who wasn't answering her questions.

"What?" Both the man and women squeaked at the same time, their confused voices mingling together.

Donna finally couldn't take it anymore as she said, her voice rising, "What the hell is this place?!"

"What?!"

Oh, my God. Donna wanted to scream. This wasn't supposed to happen! Especially on her wedding! So much for wanting no one to ruin her precious day, because here she was, her day ruined before it even started!

* * *

The Doctor looked around, bewildered, trying to find some explanation as to why this woman was here. No one could get in the TARDIS once it was in the Time Vortex. It was impossible! Completely impossible! Charlene wasn't freaking out in the slightest, but he guessed he shouldn't be _too _surprised because maybe this body didn't freak out as much, or it was because Charlene was still getting used to the body that she was in. But that didn't matter right now. This bride in front of him did.

"You can't do that…" he finally sputtered out, still looking around. "I wasn't… we're in flight!" he added abruptly. "That is – that is – physically impossible! How did—"

But the bride interrupted him, rather commandingly, so much so that it surprised him into silence. This was obviously someone who you didn't want to mess with when she was angry and from the look on her face, she obviously was.

"Tell me where I am," she said. "I demand you to tell me right now – where am I?"

The Doctor stared, not sure if he should tell her.

"You should explain before she slaps you." He heard Charlene whisper behind him with a quiet laugh that sounded different from the way it did in the previous body. Deep down, he knew that this was still Charlene, but at the moment, it didn't feel that way. He still felt as if he lost her. The Doctor sighed to himself at those thoughts before telling the bride,

"Inside the TARDIS."

"The what?"

"The TARDIS."

"The _what?_"

"The _TARDIS!_" The Doctor exclaimed louder as he turned towards the console to figure out what was going on.

"The what?" The bride sounded like a broken record.

"It's called the TARDIS," Charlene said, being the ever calm one. That hadn't changed apparently. "TAAARDIS." She stretched out the word, making it long. She tilted her head to the side, a thoughtful look on her face.

'_Well, that sounds different,_' she mused to herself.

But the bride wasn't paying attention to that part as she angrily exclaimed: "That's not even a proper word! You're just saying things!"

The Doctor didn't look up from the console as he still tried to figure out what was going on. It wasn't really working out though, so he decided to question her.

"How did you get in here?" he asked.

The bride's shoulders shook with rage. "Well, obviously when you kidnapped me... along with her." She jerked a finger in Charlene's direction but before the Doctor could correct her on that fact, she continued speaking angrily, "Who was it? Who's paying you? Is it Nerys?" She took a step back as her eyes widened. "Oh, my God, she's finally got me back. This has got Nerys written all over it!"

The Doctor watched her rant, looking her up and down with utter confusion. What was she talking about? Who the hell was Nerys?

"Wow, and I thought you talked too much," Charlene muttered quietly, but teasingly. It was so quiet that only the Doctor heard her.

However, he ignored it for now. "Who the hell is Nerys?"

"Your best friend."

The Doctor finally noticed her state of dress and before he could stop himself from putting his foot in his mouth, he asked, "Hold on, wait a minute – what're you dressed like that for?"

* * *

'_He did _not_ just ask that.'_ Charlene almost slapped herself in the forehead as that question slipped out the Doctor's mouth. _'This is going to set this woman off.'_

But though she didn't know this woman, she already liked her a lot and for some odd reason, she felt as if she knew her, but didn't know why. Before she could think more on the subject, her thoughts were broken by the bride's angry voice.

"I'm going ten-pin bowling," she said sarcastically before yelling, "Why do you think, Dumbo?! I was half-way up the aisle!"

"Really?" Charlene blinked. Well, that sucked. "That sucks," she said.

The bride nodded fiercely in agreement, "Tell me about it!"

Charlene felt for this woman and somehow knew then and there that they were going to close friends, almost like sisters. And she didn't know why, but this bride reminded her of someone…but she couldn't think of who it was. Charlene glanced at the Doctor, who was starting to fiddle with the controls. He hadn't been looking at her since the bride came into the TARDIS and she wondered why. Maybe it was because he didn't like the way she looked now. That thought alone was enough to bring an unpleasant feeling to her stomach, and she wrapped her arms around herself.

But neither the bride nor the Doctor noticed.

"I've been waiting all my life for this," The bride continued to rant, walking around, back and forth. Charlene began to wonder when she would take a breath. "I was just _seconds_ away! And then you – I dunno, drugged me or something!"

"I haven't done anything!" The Doctor protested loudly.

"He really hasn't," Charlene added in to help, but it didn't.

"We'll have the police on you! Me and my husband – as soon as he is my husband – we're gonna sue the living backside off of ya!"

The Doctor didn't reply, too engrossed in operating the controls. Charlene felt a surge of annoyance before she could even stop it as she looked over at him. She knew that he was trying to figure out what was happening, but that didn't mean he had to be rude. And when would he look at her?

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Donna rush over to the doors and her eyes widened, all thoughts of the Doctor gone for the time being.

"Don't!" Charlene exclaimed, rushing after her along with the Doctor as he exclaimed urgently:

"No, wait a minute! Wait a minute! Don't -!"

But it was too late as the bride had already opened the doors and was now looking up at the super nova. Since Charlene was already beside the woman, she saw her mouth drop open slightly.

The Doctor stood on the other side of Donna, glancing at her. Charlene tried to meet his gaze but he wouldn't let her and yet another surge of annoyance bristled through her very blood.

"You're in space," The Doctor explained. "This is my … spaceship. It's called the 'TARDIS'."

"_Our _spaceship," Charlene corrected him, but this was ignored. She couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes. What was his problem?

* * *

Donna couldn't believe what she was looking at. She barely heard what the man said as she was so amazed by it. She hadn't seen anything like this before. But one question was buzzing around in her mind and she voiced it out loud,

"How am I breathing?"

"The TARDIS is protecting us."

Donna kept her eyes outside. "Who are you?" she asked, glancing at both the woman and the man.

"I'm the Doctor," the man or rather, the Doctor, replied. What kind of name was that anyway?

"And I'm the Protector, but you can call me Charlene," The woman or rather, Charlene (yes she decided she was going to call her that) said with a soft smile on her lips. From this smile, Donna could tell that she was a nice person, but there was this pain her eyes that made her want to hug the girl. "What's your name?"

"Donna," she answered, meeting her eyes.

"Don-na," Charlene repeated. She grinned. "That's a lovely name."

Donna couldn't help but flush a little at the compliment. She didn't get that many, so she wasn't used to it, but she rather liked if she were honest.

"Oh, it's not," she brushed it off.

"It is," Charlene pressed. "I mean it with both my hearts."

'_Both? Hearts?_' Donna thought to herself, staring at Charlene. She saw the Doctor shake his head at Charlene. The same kind of look that Charlene had was reflected in his eyes as he looked at the short blonde. Donna could feel the tension between the two and wondered why. But she shook herself out of it. It wasn't her problem. All she wanted was to get back to the church and get married.

"Human?" The Doctor asked, looking her up and down.

Donna didn't like the way he was looking at her. "Yeah. Is that optional?" She found herself protesting.

"Well, it is for us," The Doctor answered.

Donna looked Charlene and the Doctor. She wasn't surprised. There was no room for it anymore. "You two are aliens?"

"Yeah."

"I am now," Charlene said and Donna looked over at her oddly. Obviously seeing that look on her face, she added: "It's a long story."

There was a moment of silence between the three until Donna spoke up again, "It's freezing with these doors open."

The Doctor slammed them shut and darted back to what Donna guessed was the console that controlled the ship.

"But I don't understand it and _I_ understand everything! This – this can't happen!" he said loudly. "There is no way a Human Being can lock itself onto the TARDIS and transport itself inside. It must…" Suddenly he was all energy and he grabbed a thingy. Donna wasn't sure what it was.

"It's an ophthalmoscope," Charlene said to her and she nodded just before the Doctor rushed over to her and shoved it close to her eyes, gazing into the pupils and causing her to jump slightly. An endless flow of techno-babble flowed through his lips in an extremely fast pace and it just left Donna confused. Something she hated with a passion.

"Impossible," The Doctor muttered, still looking at her eyes with the 'ophthalmoscope'. "Some short of subcomic connection? Something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with the Chronon shell. Maybe something mining your DNA within the interior matrix. Maybe a genetic—"

Donna couldn't help herself. She smacked him as hard as she could.

"What was that for?" he asked indignantly.

"This woman's brilliant!" Charlene couldn't help but squeal, clapping her hands together, looking like a little girl in a candy store. If she weren't so angry, Donna would have found this amusing, but she was so…

"Get me to the church!" she yelled right in his face.

The Doctor dropped his instruments and hurried back to the console with Charlene right behind him. "Right! Fine! I don't want you here anyway!" he said childishly, so much in fact that Donna couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"I get to drive her this time!" Charlene exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air and she pushed the Doctor to the side, which got her a look but she seemed to ignore it. She had a happy expression on her face as she got herself ready behind the console, as if she had done this her whole life. "So, where is this wedding?" she asked brightly, looking over at Donna with a wide grin on her face.

"Saint Mary's, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System!"

As Charlene pressed buttons, probably setting the destination with the Doctor's help from the other side of the console, it was then that Donna took notice to a blouse slung over one of the railings.

"I knew it!" she said accused loudly, snatching it up. "Acting all innocent!" She strided over to the Doctor and showed him the blouse. "I'm not the first, am I?" She knew now that Charlene hadn't been abducted as the girl seemed to know the Doctor. "How many women have you abducted?"

The Doctor looked up from the controls and Donna watched as his eyes fell on the blouse. His eyes flashed with recognition and his face fell.

"That's my friend's."

* * *

Charlene felt as if she had been punched in the gut as those words came out of the Doctor's mouth. A Friend? Charlene recognized the blouse as hers. One that she couldn't remember getting, but she knew that it was hers. How could he say it was a friend's when he clearly knew it was hers? Charlene blinked back tears. God, why was this body so emotional?

"Where is she, then? Popped out for a spacewalk?"" Donna said sarcastically.

"She's gone."

And there was another punch in the gut and Charlene stepped back from the console, arms wrapping around her stomach as she turned away, tears stinging her eyes. Did he really think that?

"Gone where?"

"I lost her."

Charlene's arms tightened around herself.

"Well, you can hurry up and lose me."

Charlene turned her head so she could look to see what Donna was doing. The bride was watching the Doctor, suddenly seeming to realize this was sensitive topic. But it shouldn't be. She was right here! She wasn't gone! She was still the same Charlene. She just looked different and acted a little bit different. But she was still the same person. Charlene didn't know why the Doctor felt this way about her. Wasn't he supposed to love her? Love her no matter what? Charlene wiped away her tears as she turned her head away.

"How do you mean, 'lost'?" She heard Donna ask.

Once again turning her head, she saw the Doctor looking at Donna darkly and advanced towards her. Only for a moment, the bride looked fearful. Charlene felt the urge to step in front of the bride, already feeling furiously protective of her, but she stayed rooted to her spot.

Besides that, she didn't even have to as the Doctor only snatched away the blouse from her. He pulled down the lever that would set them off.

"Right! Chiswick."

**TBC...**

**In...**

**The Runaway Bride, Part 2...**

**And here's the first chapter of the sequel to CCW! Now wasn't this fun? What do you guys think of the change of format the writing is in? It'll be like this for the entire story and the entire series too. If this is confusing please tell me. That's really all I have to say accept to please leave reviews and tell me what you think of the first part of the Runaway Brie! :D**


	2. The Runaway Bride, Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note:** Wow guys! Thanks so much for all of the reviews! 17 total for the first part of the Runaway Bride! It's really awesome! As for the Doctor, I know that many of you wanted to smack him for hurting Charlene, I can't blame you. I wanted to do the exact same thing.

Oh! And off the topic ... it's finally the month of November now and we know what that means...

THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR IS NOT THAT FAR AWAY FROM US! *happy dance* I'M SO EXCITED FOR IT AS YOU CAN TELL LOL.

That and it's my birthday too this month so that's another thing that's exciting. Oh and we have Catching Fire to look forward to (those who love the Hunger Games). This month is going to be (quoting the Tenth and Ninth Doctor) brilliant and fantastic!

Anyway, enjoy reading the second part!

_Edit: Now BETAed by Yhoretta :)_

* * *

"We've landed!"

As soon as she heard the chipper voice of Charlene, Donna immediately stomped out the door, expecting to be right in front of the church, but it didn't turn out that way. The surroundings she found herself standing in were unfamiliar and Donna almost growled out loud in annoyance.

"I said 'Saint Mary's'! What sort of Martians are you?! What's this?!" she exclaimed.

Charlene stepped out beside her, blinking in confusion as she looked around. "Mm. I was sure I set the TARDIS to the right destination."

"Well, obviously not!" Donna huffed angrily.

Charlene ignored her as she called out while turning around to face the person she had called too, "Doctor?"

He was already with them outside and was stroking the TARDIS in concern. "Something's wrong with her…" he mumbled.

Donna rolled her eyes as Charlene went up to him and placed her hand on his. She watched as their eyes locked. The tension between the two was still there.

"I'm sure there's nothing wrong with her," Charlene told him softly. "I think she's just recalibrating."

"Of course!" With that, the Doctor rushed back inside the TARDIS and over to the console with Charlene at his heel. But he frowned when he looked at the scanner. "She's digesting."

Donna took another look at what she had stepped out of only for her mouth drop in shock. It was a blue box … a blue box, and it was bigger on the inside! She really couldn't hear anything the Doctor or Charlene asked her. The only thing she _could_ hear was the frantic beating of her heart as she started pacing around outside of the TARDIS, feeling the walls in utter bewilderment. As she went around it, she finally registered Charlene and the Doctor talking.

"Maybe there was something you did that brought you here? Can you think of it?" Charlene called to her, but Donna didn't answer, too in shock to do so.

"Any alien contact? We can't let you go wandering off in case you're dangerous."

"Yeah, that's the last thing that needs to happen," Charlene added in next to the Doctor. "I mean, have you…have you seen lights in the sky?

"Or maybe you touched something you weren't supposed to." She heard Charlene snap her fingers. "Oh, and for future reference, don't touch something that's not meant to be touched."

"Not the time, Charlene."

"What? I'm just saying."

"Who're you marrying?"

When the Doctor asked this question, she had finished walking around the TARDIS and she popped her head inside to see if she was just imaging how big it was. In the back of her mind, she knew that she wasn't, but she wanted to make sure. Donna stumbled backwards, hands over her mouth. She felt terrified. Who were these Martians?! This was getting to be too much. She needed to get out of here. _Now._

* * *

"Are you sure he's human? He's not a big overweight with a zip around his forehead, is he?" The Doctor asked.

The thought of Donna marrying a Slitheen was enough to make Charlene grimace. "God, I hope not." She took notice to the fact that Donna wasn't even in the TARDIS right now. But Charlene was able to quickly find her. She was standing outside with her hands over her mouth and a terrified look plastered on her face. Charlene just knew that she was about to run.

"Doctor," she said, tugging on his jacket, stopping him in what he was doing. He looked over at her for the first time and she tried to read his expression as his gaze drifted over every inch of her face.

Then his eyes broke away from hers as he cleared his throat. Charlene stood there for a moment then opened her mouth to say something but before she could, the Doctor cried out:"Donna!"

Donna was running away. Charlene and the Doctor quickly shared a look before rushing after the redhead.

"Donna," she said, grabbing her arm as she and the Doctor fell into step with her. "You really should–" But she was cut off by Donna tugging her arm away from her grip.

"Leave me alone," growled Donna, not looking at them. "I just want to get married."

"I know, and we'll get you to the church," Charlene reassured her and she would have bumped her shoulder into Donna's to comfort her too, but she was too short to do that. She pouted to herself. Why couldn't this body be taller? She shook herself out of that quickly as she told the bride, "you just gotta come with us back in the TARDIS so we can take you there."

"No way," Donna said, shaking her head. "That box is too…weird."

"It's…bigger on the inside, that's all," The Doctor told her and Charlene gave him a 'not helping' look, but he didn't notice it. Again, she frowned as an unpleasant feeling came over her stomach. She still wanted to know what his problem was with her, but now wasn't the time to discuss it. They had Donna to look after.

"Oh! That's all!" Donna sighed in exasperation as she looked at her watch. "Ten past three. I'm gonna miss it." She sounded as if she were suppressing tears and Charlene wanted to hug her.

"You can phone them, tell them where you are."

Donna gave the Doctor a look, "How do I do that?"

"Haven't you got a mobile?"

This caused the bride to stop and she stared at him as Charlene smacked herself in the forehead. "She's in a wedding dress," she told her oblivious Doctor, but he didn't get it. Donna piped up before Charlene could explain it to him.

"It doesn't have _pockets_! Who has pockets? Have you ever seen a bride with pockets? When I went to my fitting, do you think I said, "Alison, the one thing I forgot to say is give me pockets"?!" She screeched so loudly that the Doctor winced. Charlene stifled back a laugh, feeling bad for him but not all that much as she was still angry at the way he was treating her.

"This man you're marrying – what's his name?" he asked after a moment.

"Lance." Donna sighed dreamily, looking much like a teenager in love.

"Good luck Lance."

Charlene almost smacked him in the back of the head at that comment. Just because he had this whatever problem with her, he didn't have to be rude to Donna. Oh what the hell...She smacked him in the back of the head.

"What was that for?" The Doctor demanded, fixing her with a glare.

"For being rude!" Charlene snapped at him, crossing her arms. "That's what _that was _for." She glared back at him and they stared each other down, both with matching expressions on their faces.

"Oi!" Donna exclaimed and Charlene let the anger drop from her face as she looked at the redhead, ignoring the Doctor staring at her. "No stupid Martians are gonna stop me from getting married. To hell with both of you!"

"I'm—I'm not…I'm not… we're not from Mars," The Doctor called feebly. His eyes flickered to Charlene and again, she couldn't read his expression. "Char-"

Charlene didn't let him continue, "It doesn't matter. Let's go." With that, she took off as well with the Doctor following behind her, seconds later. They caught up to Donna as she tried to call for a taxi, but the driver ignored them.

"Why's his lights on?!"

"There's another one!" The Doctor exclaimed, running as he tried and catch it."Taxi! Do you have this effect on everyone? Why aren't they stopping?"

"Oi!" Donna yelled, stomping her foot on the ground.

Charlene just watched them stumble onto the road in their effort to catch the driver's attention. She would have helped, but knew that it wouldn't make a difference as she didn't think anyone could take Donna seriously, running around in her wedding gown. They would either think she was in fancy dress...

"They think I'm in fancy dress."

Another taxi drove past with the driver hooting his horn. "Stay off the scotch!"

Drunk…

"They think I'm drunk."

Two guys in their car yelled out of their window as they drove past, "You're not fooling no one, mate!"

Or in drag…

"They think I'm in drag!" Donna threw her arms in the air as the Doctor looked her up and down appraisingly.

"As fun as this is…" Charlene started off, stepping in between the two causing them to look at her. "I'll do this. Watch and learn." She put her fingers between her lips and whistled, long and piecing. The Doctor and Donna slapped their hands over their ears as it caught the attention of a taxi, which ground to a halt before them. Charlene grinned at Donna and the Doctor. "And that's how you catch the attention of a taxi driver." With a wink, she got into the back seat first with the Doctor and Donna clambering in behind her.

"When did you learn to do that?" The Doctor asked, surprised, as the driver started driving.

"Oh I've always known how to do it." Charlene shrugged, not looking at him, "Just never had any use for it."

"Saint Mary's in Chiswick, just off Hayden Road," Donna quickly told the driver. "It's an emergency, I'm getting married! Just…hurry up!"

"You know it'll cost you, sweetheart? Double rates today."

"Oh, my God!" Donna turned to the Doctor, "Have you got any money?"

"No use asking him for it, he never has any," Charlene couldn't help but say, amused, with a slight grin on her face.

"Have you got some then?"

The smile fell and Charlene rubbed the back of her head, sheepishly. "Uh, not on me. No." She said earning a sigh of exasperation from Donna.

"And you?" The Doctor asked the bride.

"Pockets!" Donna and Charlene exclaimed at the same time with Donna violently gesturing to her dress while Charlene rolled her eyes at her Doctor. The driver screeched to a halt and Charlene's hands caught herself from slamming face forward on the back of the seat. She glared at the back of the driver's head as he snapped at them to get out. They did as he said and the Doctor slammed the door.

"...And that goes double for your mother!" Donna shouted as the driver took off. She then muttered angrily, "I'll have him. I've got his number. I'll have him. Talk about having the Christmas spirit."

"It's Christmas?!" Charlene squealed, eyes sparkling. Oh, she loved Christmas! She was glad that hadn't changed with her regeneration.

"Well, duh!" Donna huffed. "Maybe not on _Mars_, but here it's Christmas Eve." Suddenly she slapped Charlene in the shoulder. It wasn't very hard, but Charlene still rubbed the spot irritably.

"What was that for?"

"Phone box!" Donna explained loudly. She rushed towards it with Charlene and the Doctor right behind her. "We can reverse the charges!"

"How come you're getting married on Christmas?" The Doctor asked as they ran down the crowded street.

"Can't bear it. I hate Christmas. Honeymoon in Morocco. Sunshine – lovely." As soon as they got to the phone box, the Doctor opened it for Donna, letting the woman go inside. But she didn't do anything.

"What's wrong?" Charlene questioned the bride concerned, moving her head inside the phone box so she could get a good look at Donna's face. The bride looked confused.

"What's the operator?" she asked, throwing glances to both Charlene and the Doctor. "I've not done this in years. What do you dial, 100?"

The Doctor whipped out the sonic screwdriver and stretched himself in between Charlene and Donna so he could use it on the phone. "Just – just call direct." The dial sound buzzed on the end of the receiver.

'_I really need to get a sonic,_' Charlene thought to herself as Donna demanded:

"What did you do?"

"Something...Martian." The Doctor sounded distracted and Char looked at him as he stepped back from the phone box. A curious expression crossed her face, wondering what he was trying to find. "Now…" The Doctor started off, snapping the small blonde out of her thoughts. "Phone. I'll get money!" He turned to Charlene and told her, "Stay with Donna. Make sure she doesn't go anywhere."

Charlene nodded and watched as he took off sprinting to the nearest cash machine. Once he got there, a man who was taking his jolly old time harrumphed and continued with his transaction. Charlene almost let out a laugh as the Doctor stopped to hop from foot to foot impatiently. He never did like waiting.

"Oh, answer the phone!" She heard Donna exclaim and she looked over at the bride to see her punching the numbers out. Then she went silent.

"Did you get it?" Charlene asked Donna.

"I'm leaving a message," she answered offhandedly. Then she said, "mum, get off the phone and listen. I'm–" She looked around, eyes wide, "Oh, my God – I dunno where I am! It's … it's a street, and there's WH Smith…but it's definitely Earth."

As soon as Donna had finished the message, she left the phone box and true to her word, Charlene stayed on her heels, even as the bride approached a random woman on the street.

"Excuse me…I'm begging you. I'm getting married, really I am and I'm late and I just need to borrow a tenner and I'll pay you back I promise and it's Christmas."

Suddenly, Charlene felt as if she were being watched. She whirled around. Immediately something caught her eye and she stepped back horrified at the sight of masked Santas playing trumpets a short distance away, much like last Christmas with Rose, Jackie, and Mickey. Charlene's expression turned dark, figuring out with her Time Lord brain that the Santas were looking for someone and that _someone_ must be Donna. They had to get out of here. Charlene quickly turned to face the bride, but found her gone, about to get into a taxi.

"Donna, no! Don't go in there!" Charlene shouted when she noticed that the driver of the taxi was another one of those Santas.

But Donna wasn't paying attention to her. "Thanks for nothing, Martians! I'll see you in court!"

"Wait, Donna!" Charlene rushed over to the taxi, but it was too late…Donna got in the car just as Charlene arrived, hitting her fists against the window. "Donna, get out! NOW!"

But still the redhead wasn't listening as she told the driver where to go and the taxi took off, causing Charlene to stumble and almost fall into the street. She jumped out of the way of a speeding car and hurriedly turned to the Doctor.

"Doctor!" Charlene yelled as loud as she could when she took notice to the Santas who were now playing their trumpets. Luckily, the Doctor had already noticed it. Charlene took off running towards him as one of the Santas lowered his instrument ominously. Now all three of them were getting ready to shoot. Charlene was about half way to the Doctor, catching a glimpse of him sonic'ing the cash machine- causing notes to fly everywhere and everyone who was the street started to scramble inwards as they tried to catch the money. Charlene got caught in the crowd and had to force herself out of it, making it to the Doctor, who took a hold of her hand. Not wasting any more time, they took off running in the direction of the TARDIS. Charlene hoped that she and the Doctor would be able to get to Donna before she got hurt.

* * *

"I promise you, mate – I'll give you the rest when we get there," Donna told the driver as they zipped along. Then she took sight of herself in the one of the mirrors and grimaced. "Oh, I look a mess." She took off her veil as her breaths came in ragged jerks. God, she had never run this much before in her life. "Hurry up!" She told the driver, annoyed, as he was going far too slow for her taste.

But it did give her time to think about Charlene's reaction to her getting into the taxi. Donna was able to get one last glimpse at the girl before the driver took off and she looked horrified. The bride had no idea why getting into the taxi would give the girl that reaction. Donna didn't have that much time to think about it because she had just realized something, and her eyes widened slightly. The driver had missed the turn!

"Hold on a minute, I said 'Chiswick'!" she barked to the driver. "You missed the turning." But she got no response from him.

" 'Scuse me? We should've turned off back there. We're going the wrong way! What the hell are you doing?!" Donna screeched, gripping on the head rest of the passenger seat when the driver joined the motorway and cut across lanes sharply, causing other drivers to beep their horns angrily. "I'm late for the wedding! My _own wedding_! Do you get that?!" No response again. Her grip tightened on the head rest. "Turn around! Turn this cab around right now! Are you deaf or something?" Annoyed, she lunged forward and pulled the driver's hood off only to reveal a robot underneath. This made her reel back in her seat shocked.

"Oh, my God." She realized then and there that this was why Charlene was trying to stop her from getting into the taxi. She needed to get out of here.

Donna tried pushing the door and the window, looking for a way out. When that didn't work, she tried to get the attention of the people on the road, her voice growing more frantic with every word. "Help me! Help me! Help me!" She pummeled on the glass, still screaming. "Help me! Help me!"

In one of the cars that drove alongside the taxi – a red van – the man driving had noticed her and looked concerned. Donna knew that even if he wanted to help, he couldn't. They were on the motorway. There was no way out. But even though she knew this, it didn't stop her from crying out for help as she continued to hit the window as hard as she could.

"Help me! Help me! Get me out! Help me! Help me! I'm being driven by a robot!" Out of nowhere, there was this sound that sounded a lot like whirling and Donna peered out the window only for her mouth to drop when a familiar blue box fell from the air, spinning. "…You have got to be kidding me," she muttered in disbelief.

* * *

"Carly! Operate the controls!" the Doctor shouted at Charlene as they spun around in the air, trying to catch up to Donna's taxi.

"Got it, Doctor!" She winked, and he felt a comforting familiarity as if he were seeing his Charlene again. It caused a slight smile to appear which stayed in place as she hurriedly went over to the console, stumbling as she did so. Once he made sure she got to the console safely, the Doctor staggered towards the doors and threw them open. The TARDIS was in line with the taxi, zooming along beside it on the motorway. Donna was staring at him, hands pressed to the window.

"Open the door!" he yelled at her.

"Do you what?"

"Open the door!"

"I can't, it's locked!" She wiggled the handle to prove her point.

The Doctor managed to get the sonic screwdriver out of his jacket and aimed it on the door so Donna was able to push down the window.

"Santa's a _robot_!" she exclaimed as if he didn't already know this.

"Donna, open the door."

"What for?"

"You've got to jump!"

"I'm not bleedin' jumping, I'm supposed to be getting married!" Donna screeched shrilly. There was no time for her to do it anymore as the robot put his foot down on the gas and was able to zoom past the TARDIS.

The Doctor glanced back at Charlene, shouting her name pointedly, "Charlene!"

"Already on it!" she shouted back, pulling on some of the controls causing random explosions from the console making her stumble, almost falling.

"Charlene!"

"I'm fine!" Charlene told the Doctor loudly, catching herself by grabbing onto the console. The Doctor had to struggle to regain his own balance as the TARDIS banged onto the roof of a car belonging to a distressed driver. They also got back in line with the taxi. Still trying to get his balance back, the Doctor pulled out the sonic and sonic'ed the robot, disabling it.

Finally he put his attention back on Donna, "Listen to me – you've got to jump."

"I'm not jumping on a motorway."

"Donna, you have to!" Charlene yelled.

"I'm not!" Donna shook her head stubbornly.

"Whatever that thing is, it needs you," The Doctor pressed. "And whatever it needs you for, it's not good. Now come on!"

"I'm in my wedding dress!" she yelled to match him.

"Yes! You look lovely! Come on!" The Doctor shouted exasperatedly. Breathing heavily with fear, Donna opened the door and positioned herself, ready to take a literal leap of faith. The Doctor held out his arms to catch her. But just as she was able to jump, she stopped and shook her head, eyes flashing with fear as she exclaimed, "I can't do it!"

"Trust me," The Doctor told her calmly.

"Is that what you said to her? You're friend? The one you lost? Did you trust you?"

"Yes, she did," The Doctor answered and he glanced back at Charlene, who was focusing on her task of keeping the TARDIS next to the taxi. He couldn't help but wonder if she still _did_ trust him… He didn't think about it for long as he turned back to Donna. "And she is not dead. She is so _alive_." And she was. Charlene was here as she always was. She wasn't lost. The Doctor realized that now and he felt guilty for treating her the way he did. Though she looked different, she was still his Charlene. Always would be. Focusing back on the task at hand, he exclaimed to Donna, "now, jump!"

This time Donna did jump with a long, loud scream and they fell together into a heap on the floor.

"Shut the doors!" Charlene exclaimed. Once Donna was off of him, the Doctor slammed the exit and hurried over to Charlene to help her fly the TARDIS back into the sky. At different sides of the console, he looked up at Charlene and met her eyes. She gave him a small smile before diverting her gaze- causing the Doctor to frown and flinch, guilt gripping him.

**TBC...**

**In...**

**Part 3 of the Runaway Bride...**

**Now this episode will be four parts just to let you know. The other ones won't be...at least I hope not, but if they are, at least it makes the story longer lol. Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you think! Until next time on NBTS!**

**P.S. Thanks to Nymartian for making the beautiful cover for this story! Thank you girl ;)**


	3. The Runaway Bride, Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 27 reviews! How awesome is that? And it's only been two chapters! *another happy dance* I'm not going to spend all my time talking so please enjoy the third part and leave reviews! ;)

_Edit: Now BETAed by Yhoretta :)_

* * *

Donna sighed as she looked down at her watch while the Doctor and Charlene tried to extinguish the smoke billowing from the TARDIS, coughing and sputtering as they did so. Reading the time, she sighed again. It had just gone half three and she knew what it meant. She missed the wedding… She let out yet another sigh before hearing the Doctor's voice as he and Charlene joined her.

"The funny thing is, for a spaceship, she doesn't do much flying," he said.

Donna stayed silent as she continued to look down at the watch.

"We'd better give her a couple hours."

Donna then felt a nudge on her side and she looked to see that it was Charlene, and she looked worried.

"Are you alright?" she asked Donna.

Donna just shrugged. "It doesn't matter." Of course it mattered, but it wasn't like Lance couldn't book another date. They _could_, and she was already thinking about when.

"We missed it, didn't we?" Charlene stated bluntly. Donna looked at the blonde, surprised at the bluntness in her tone, but she nodded, earning a wince from Charlene. "Sorry Donna," she apologized, her voice soft. "I know how much you wanted to get back."

Donna knew then and there she couldn't blame the girl even if she tried. She opened her mouth to reply, but the Doctor spoke up before she could.

"Well, you can book another date," he said, voicing Donna's earlier thought out loud. Was he a_ mind reader _now?

Shaking her head internally, Donna nodded. "Course we can."

"Still got the honeymoon…"

"It's just a holiday now," she pointed out to the Doctor.

The Doctor nodded, "Yeah…yeah…sorry."

"It's not your fault," Donna said honestly, glancing between Charlene and the Doctor.

Charlene smiled widely while the Doctor said: "Oh! That's a change."

A thought crossed Donna's mind. "Wish we had a time machine. Then we could go back and get it right."

"Yeah, too bad, right Doctor?" Charlene smirked, looking at the Doctor knowingly, and Donna couldn't help but wonder what it was for.

The Doctor rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Yeah, yeah…" He cleared his throat as he looked over at Donna, "But … even if we did, we couldn't go back on someone's personal time-line."

"_Apparently,_" Charlene added, grinning at the Doctor, almost as if they were sharing a secret joke with each other.

Donna threw them both a suspicious look before deciding that it didn't matter and going to sit down on the edge of the roof. She smoothed her dress down as she looked up at Charlene to see that she was staring off into the distance with a sad expression on her face. Donna wondered what she was thinking about.

Suddenly she felt something being draped around her shoulders and she looked at the Doctor, who was now sitting beside her.

_'God, he's skinny. This wouldn't fit a rat.'_ Donna thought as she said it out loud, "God, you're skinny; this wouldn't fit a rat."

The Doctor ignored that while Charlene stifled a giggle as she glanced at them before returning to look at what she had been looking at before, the sad expression coming over her face yet again.

"Oh and you'd better put this on," the Doctor said, pulling out what looked like a wedding ring from his pocket.

Donna scowled slightly at it. "Oh, do you have to rub it in?"

"Those creatures can trace you. This is a bio-damper. Should keep you hidden." The Doctor slipped it on her finger. "With this ring, I thee_ bio-damp_."

"For better or for worse," Donna joked, earning a smile from the Doctor. She changed the subject. "So, come on then: Robot Santas –what are they for?"

"Ah, your basic robo-scavengers. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise. They're trying to blend in." The Doctor gestured to himself and Charlene, who was paying attention and he paused, staring at her, a concerned look crossing his face. Somehow, Donna could see that he knew what Charlene was thinking about. Finally he spoke again, looking away from Char to look at Donna. "We met them last Christmas."

Donna stared at him blankly. What was he talking about? "Why?" she asked. "What happened then?"

"…Great big spaceship? Hovering over London?" The Doctor blinked at her blank expression, "you didn't notice?"

She still had no idea what he was talking about. Since he was waiting for an answer, she said dismissively, "I had a bit of a hangover."

"I spent Christmas Day just over there," the Doctor said as he nodded in the same direction that Charlene was looking at. Though he was looking there, his eyes were on Charlene's as he continued to speak. "The Powell Estate. With this…family. My friend, she had this family. Well, they were…" He paused, looking at if he was lost in thought as he continued to stare at Charlene, who finally looked away and met his eyes. They stared at each other, silently having a conversation with each other with their eyes.

Donna couldn't read their expressions. Finally he sighed slightly, turning forward again. "Still…gone now." He looked really sad.

Donna knew that whoever this friend was, he cared about her a great deal. "Your friend…" she said a little bit hesitantly, "who was she?"

"Question is," the Doctor suddenly changed the subject, turning his body towards hers. "What do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you? And how did you get inside the TARDIS? I don't know…" He looked her over and Donna rolled her eyes. How was she supposed to give the answers to those questions if she didn't know them herself? He pulled out his sonic from the jacket that was over her shoulders as he asked, "what's your job?"

"I'm a secretary," Donna answered as Charlene sat down on the other side of her so she could hear the conversation.

"It's weird, I mean – you're not special," the Doctor said, scanning her with the thing he had, eyebrows furrowed. '_Rude…'_ she thought, scowling to herself. "You're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important…"

Donna finally couldn't help it… she scowled to _him_. "This friend of yours – just before she left, did she punch you in the face?"

"Oh, she thought about it," Charlene mumbled to herself darkly. "Believe me."

Dismissing that statement, Donna smacked the screwdriver aside. "Stop bleeping me!" she exclaimed.

"What kind of secretary are you exactly?" Charlene questioned her.

"I'm at HC Clements," she answered, looking over at the blonde. "It's where I met Lance. I was temping. I mean, it was all a bit posh really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well, I thought – I'm never going to fit in here. And then he made me coffee…" Donna smiled as the memory came to her as if it were yesterday. "I mean, that just doesn't happen. Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee. And Lance – he's the head of HR! He doesn't need to bother with me. But he was nice, he was funny. And it turns out he hated all the really snotty people too. So that's how it started, me and him – one cup of coffee. That was it."

"When was this?"

"Six months ago," Donna said, smiling dreamily to herself. Six beautiful months…

The Doctor frowned slightly, "Bit quick to get married…"

"Well, when you know they're the one, time doesn't matter," Charlene said softly, and sounding a bit pained as well. She wasn't looking at either of them, a downcast expression on her face as a guilty look flashed on the Doctor's. There was a tense silence.

"Well there was that," Donna said quickly breaking the silence. "And he insisted." She lied as she was the one who insisted on the marriage. She was lying because she didn't want them to think that she was the pushy one. "He nagged…and he nagged me… And he just _wore me down_ and then finally, I just gave in."

"What does HC Clements do?"

"Oh, security systems, you know… entry codes, ID cards – that sort of thing." What did that matter though? Donna wondered to herself while she said out loud, "If you ask me, it's a posh name for 'locksmith'."

"Keys," the Doctor and Charlene mused together in complete unison while sharing looks.

Donna decided to change the subject. "Anyway, enough of my CV. Come on. It's time to face the consequences." She sighed. "Oh, this is going to be so shaming. You can do the explaining, Martian-boy and girl."

"Oh Donna," Charlene said in a fond voice, one that you would give someone when you cared about them a great deal which Donna couldn't help but feel surprised over. "Just for the record, we're not from Mars." She gave her a pointed look and Donna nodded as Charlene stood up, brushing herself off, while the Doctor held out towards Donna to help her up.

She took his hand and let him lift her to her feet. As she brushed her dress off and they started walking to get off of the roof, she shook her head, remembering something else. "Oh, I had this great reception all planned. Everyone's going to be so heartbroken."

But it turned out she was wrong because when they got to the reception hall... 'Merry Christmas everybody' was blaring out as everyone – friends and family – were dancing, eating, and laughing, having a _good_ time. This left Donna fuming. Donna folded her arms as she looked around at the merriment, thunderstruck. She just couldn't believe it; they had the reception without her!

It was her mother who spotted her first and she froze. It wasn't that long until the rest of the room followed and everyone's eyes were on her, the Doctor and Charlene (who awkwardly stood behind her).

"You had the reception without me!"

Lance, who was dancing with Nerys, spoke up first, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Donna…what happened to ya?"

"You had the reception_ without me!_" Donna raised her voice up a notch to get it through their heads. You didn't have the reception without the bride! Yeah, she disappeared for some unknown reason, but still!

But no one said anything as an awkward pause filled the air.

"Hello! I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said cheerfully, breaking the pause, waving a bit at the group.

But Charlene just sighed. "Not helping Doctor," she told him, nudging him in the side.

Donna turned towards the pair. "They had the reception without me."

"Yeah, we got that," Charlene agreed, shaking her head a bit.

"Well, it was all paid for – why not?" Nerys questioned snottily, crossing her arms over her chest.

Donna gave her an exasperated look. "Thank you, _Nerys!_"

Her mother approached with an annoyed look on her face. "Well, what were we supposed to do? I got your silly message in the end – 'I'm on Earth'? Very funny. What the hell happened? How did you do it? I mean, what's the trick because I'd love to know…?"

The whole room started talking all at once until all Donna could hear was an in comprehensive babble of voices and she wanted it to stop. So she did the first thing she could think of… cry fake tears. Donna did just that, letting out fake sobs and whimpers until everyone's anger turned into pity. Lance stepped forward and gathered her up in his arms and she faked sobbed into his shoulder. She took a glance at Charlene and the Doctor and winked at them. The Doctor smirked as Charlene gave a cheerful laugh while grinning fondly at her.

* * *

The party was back to the way it had been except for the fact that Donna had now joined them along with Charlene, who Donna had pulled onto the dance floor, insisting that she should have fun too. From where Doctor was leaning against the bar, he could tell that she was enjoying herself. He smiled as he watched Charlene throw her head back, laughing hard, eyes sparking while dancing around with Donna and Lance. The Doctor was glad to see her smiling. She hadn't been smiling all that much today, but that was mostly his fault…

The Doctor winced, remembering the way he was treating her. He knew now that she didn't deserve to be treated like that especially by him just because he was scared that she wasn't the same person – the one that he fell in love with - and that her feelings for him weren't the same or that she would _want _to not travel with him any more. The Doctor knew that he should talk to Charlene about what he was feeling but that was another thing he was scared of doing because he didn't want his fears to be confirmed. But it was only a matter of time until he would have to because Charlene would ask him about why he was treating her this way. Putting those thoughts to rest, the Doctor noticed a man playing with his mobile and thinking about HC Clements, he went over to him and gestured to borrow it.

The man nodded and handed it over. He put on his glasses as he did a WAP search for HC Clements. The process was going rather slow and the Doctor cast a furtive look around the room to make sure no one was looking before pulling out the sonic and using it to make the search go faster. The search finished and the result was – "Sole Prop. TORCHWOOD." The Doctor's face darkened as he read those words on the screen, remembering what happened earlier that day. He should have known that they had something to do with Donna, but now he just didn't know what that something was. The Doctor gave the phone back to the man and turned back to the dance floor only to find Charlene standing in front of him, a lovely flush on her cheeks.

"Doctor," she said, out of breath, holding out a small hand towards him. "Dance with me."

The Doctor blinked at her. "What?"

Charlene rolled her eyes at him, amused. "I said, 'dance with me.'"

"Oh, I don't think –" But she didn't let him finish his protest because she took a hold of his hand, slowly making them walk on the dance floor. She smiled at him cheekily, a gesture that reminded him once again that this was still his Charlene. "Come on – the world doesn't end just because the Doctor dances."

At that familiar line, the Doctor couldn't help but grin and let her lead him the rest of the way to the dance floor. As soon as they were there, Charlene let go of his hand and looped her arms around his neck while still giving him that cheeky grin.

"And remember, hands on the waist," she said, removing her arms from around his neck so she could guide his arms to the proper position before she put hers back to his neck. "And no stepping on my feet," she warned playfully.

"Yes, we wouldn't want that." It was his turn to grin at her cheekily as he pulled her close while they swayed to the music. Even though a fast song was playing, he kept their dance slow. It felt as if everything were back to normal. As if nothing changed. As if they were back to being the Doctor and Charlene – the Stuff of Legends.

"Well, it looks like this body is better at _dancing_," Charlene teased suggestively with her eyes twinkling as her arms tightened around his neck.

Knowing what she was referring to, the Doctor smirked, unable to help himself. "Oh yes, much better." He twirled her out before bringing her back in so that her back was now pressed against the front of him. Charlene giggled, bringing her eyes to his. She had to lean her head against his chest to do this.

"Nice moves Doctor, what else have you got?"

"Plenty, I just don't want to brag." He twirled her out again, spun her, and brought her back before dripping her low causing a booming laugh to escape Charlene. He lifted her back up, their faces close, so close that their noses were brushing against each other.

"Doctor," she whispered.

"Yes," he whispered back to her, feeling the tension in the air.

"Why have you been acting distant?" she asked, still in a whisper.

The Doctor stiffened, moving his face back, breaking the moment. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Doctor," Charlene said sternly. "Ever since I regenerated … you haven't been looking at me the same if not at all… you've been treating me as if … I'm gone…like I'm dead to you…"

He knew that it was true and he would have told her so but instead, he blurted out. "No, I haven't." As soon as he did, he winced.

"Yes you have." Charlene jerked out of his grip, glaring at him. "Don't lie to me, Doctor." Her voice broke then as she said, "Please, don't."

The Doctor opened his mouth to say something, but stopped at the sight of some people looking at him. "Let's talk about this later," he said quietly, turning back to look down at Charlene, who wasn't looking at him. "Now isn't the time."

"Right," she said stiffly. "Come on, I saw a cameraman. Maybe he has the film of the wedding, well the almost wedding."

Why didn't he think of that? The Doctor was about to agree with Charlene, but she was already heading over to said cameraman. Guilt gripped him again as he watched her walk away. Why did he have to such an idiot? He hated to admit it but he was. He was pushing her away. And if he didn't stop, she would walk and never come back. Heaving a sigh, he followed Charlene.

**TBC...**

**In...**

**The Last Part of the Runaway Bride...**

**Who wants to slap the Doctor? *raises hand*I love him, I really do, but he's being such a idiot! The last part will be longer and end the episode so it will be longer so it might be a while for the next update, but not too long lol. Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you thought! ;)**


	4. The Runaway Bride, Part 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and never will. But I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters that I create.

Author's Note: Now up to 40 reviews! Keep them coming!

If you haven't heard, the trailer for the Day of the Doctor is going to be shown on Saturday! I'm so excited about it! We've been waiting for this forever... at least those who didn't see it at Comic Con. I hope the trailer is was worth the wait. I'm sure it will be though!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

_Edit: Now BETAed by Yhoretta :)_

* * *

Charlene avoided the Doctor's eyes as they stood on either side of the cameraman, waiting for him to put in the tape of the almost wedding. She hated that she couldn't look at her friend without feeling sad, feeling as if she didn't matter to the Doctor any more. The one she loved was treating her badly and he wouldn't tell her why. It was frustrating to the point that she wanted to strangle the Doctor for making her feel this way. He was pushing her out and she hated it.

Why couldn't he just tell her the truth? It wasn't like she wouldn't understand or listen because she _would_. She would always be there for him. No matter what. She had promised herself that she wasn't going to go anywhere and she wasn't going to break that promise. Charlene sighed to herself as the cameraman spoke, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I taped the whole thing," he said, popping in the tape. "They've all had a lock. They said, 'sell it to _You've Been Framed_.' I said 'more like the _News_'." He smirked, "Here we go." He played the video and the camera was zoomed in on Donna's face as she seemingly disintegrated into golden particles with a scream. Charlene's mouth dropped open. She'd recognize those particles anywhere…

"Impossible! Is that what I think it is?" she asked, snapping her head towards the Doctor, who was just as shocked as she was.

"Can't be!" He shook his head in disbelief before looking at the camera man. "Play it again."

"Clever, mind you! Good trick, I'll give her that. I was clapping." He played the tape again. It showed the same thing. There was no doubting it now.

"But… that looks like…Huon Particles!"

"That's because it is," Charlene said as the cameraman looked between them, confused.

"What's that?" he asked.

"That's impossible, that's ancient! Hueon energy doesn't exist any more, not for a billion years!"

Charlene nodded. "So old in fact…" she trailed off as her eyes suddenly drew to the ring/bio-damper the Doctor placed earlier on Donna's finger. She looked at the Doctor and he looked at her as they both exclaimed:

"It can't be hidden by a bio-damper!"

While the Doctor ran to the window as fast as she could, Charlene ran to Donna and grabbed her by the arm.

"Donna, we have to get to out of here!" she told her urgently.

The red head blinked at her in confusion, "what for?"

"Donna!" Charlene and Donna turned to see the Doctor running towards them and once he'd stopped he grabbed Donna by her other arm, earning an 'Oi' from the red head. "Donna, they've found you.

"And that's why we have to get out of here," Charlene added.

Donna's eyes widened. "But you said I was safe."

"We thought you were, honestly we did, but the bio-damper doesn't work," Charlene told her, giving her arm a squeeze before letting go of it. "We have to get everyone out of here because they _will_ get hurt if they don't." She was being straight forward with Donna because if it was her, she would want them to be too.

Donna gulped as she glanced around. "Oh my God – it's all my family…"

"Out the back door!" The Doctor shouted as they ran, but they were confronted by two of the Santas. "Maybe not." And with that, they dashed back inside. The Doctor darted over to a window with Charlene and Donna right behind him. There were two other Santas outside and Donna looked nervous. Charlene took a hold of her hand and squeezed.

"We've trapped," the ginger said, returning the affection nervously. The Santas outside had some kind of remote control in their hands. But a control for what?

"Christmas trees," the Doctor declared.

Charlene followed his gaze to the tree in the middle of the room. She literally groaned out loud, remembering last year when that damn thing almost killed her mum, Rose, and Mickey.

"Christmas trees. Why does it always have to be Christmas trees?" Charlene asked, rolling her eyes exasperatedly.

"What do you mean?" Donna questioned confused. "What _about_ Christmas trees?"

The Doctor was the one who answered, "they kill." Not wasting any time, he ran into the crowd.

"Get away from that tree!" he shouted.

Donna and Charlene followed behind him, shouting together. "Don't touch the trees!"

"Get away from the Christmas trees, everyone get away from them!"

"Listen to the Doctor!" Charlene yelled at the crowd as she helped Donna usher a group of little girls away from the Christmas trees.

"Out!" It was Donna's turn to yell as she whirled around to face her fiancé. "Lance, tell them!"

"Stay away from the trees!" he exclaimed helplessly.

"Stay away from the tree!" The Doctor shouted again.

"Oh, for God's sakes, the man's an idiot!" Donna's mother exclaimed over the loud noise, sounding much like Donna. "Why? What's a Christmas tree gonna…oh!" She trailed off, looking in the direction of the trees.

Charlene followed her gaze to see that the baubles floated away from the trees in some kind of weird dance. If she didn't know how deadly the trees were, she would have found this beautiful. Charlene went to stand next to the Doctor and she put the remote control in his pocket with him knowing as he looked at the baubles warily.

Everyone was chatting excitedly with one another as this occurred. But the excited chatter didn't last long as the baubles started dive-bombing around the room and causing small explosions. Screaming, everyone ran for cover. Charlene saw Donna and Lance under a table, hiding. From the corner of her eye, she saw a little girl about to get a hit by one of those things. Luckily, the girl wasn't far from her so Charlene was able to get over to the girl and covered the girl's body with hers. The girl trembled with fear and Charlene shushed her.

"Shh, everything's going to be fine," she told her, whispering soothingly in the girl's ear, who nodded against her chest, letting out a small whimper as the small explosions continued. It wasn't long until she heard the Doctor's voice and she lifted her head to see that the Doctor was up on the DJ's stand. As for the Santas, they were now inside and lined up on the opposite side.

"Oi! Santa!" he exclaimed, getting their attention. "Word of advice: if you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver," He held the sonic up to the microphone, "don't let him near the sound system."

The sonic made a horrible, high pitched screeching sound. Charlene covered the little girl's ears with her hands, but since she wasn't completely on top of the girl, the girl was able to turn her body and used her small hands to cover Charlene's ear. She smiled at the girl in thanks and the girl smiled a small one back. Finally the screeching sound stopped and Charlene got off of the girl, helping her to her feet. Holding onto the girl's hand, she looked around to see the Doctor over by the mechanics of the Santas who had fallen to pieces because of the screeching sound. Everyone was getting off the floor now and Donna ran over to Charlene and the girl, who had gone over to a little boy.

"Michael?" she said to the boy, concerned, touching his face. Then she did the same thing to the girl, naming her Connie.

Giving Connie's hand a squeeze, Charlene went over to the Doctor as he picked up one of the machines that the Santas had been using.

"Look at that," he said as Donna appeared next to Charlene. "Remote control for the decorations," he showed them the hand held device, "but there's a second remote control for the robots."

Charlene frowned as the Doctor examined one of the heads of the Santas. "So, they're not scavengers anymore? Someone must have taken possession of them, but who?"

Before the Doctor could answer that, Donna spoke up. "Never mind all that," she said. She turned her gaze to the Doctor. "You're a doctor – people have been hurt."

"Donna, he's not that kind of Doctor," Charlene told her offhandedly. She looked at the Doctor, "I don't think they wanted to kill Donna, because if they did, they would have tried harder to do so. I think they want her alive."

"Yes." The Doctor nodded thoughtfully, "I think so too." He picked up a bauble and tossed it to Charlene, "They're not active anymore."

"All I'm saying is that you could help."

But he wasn't paying attention to Donna as he brought the head to his ear, "Gotta think of the bigger picture…there's still a signal!" The Doctor took off and Charlene followed right behind him leaving Donna standing there.

* * *

Donna was about to follow the Doctor and Charlene but stopped at her mother's voice.

"Donna…"

She turned to her mum, who looked scared.

"Who are those two? "

Donna didn't have an answer for that. She didn't even know herself. There were actually no words to describe those two. After staring at her mum and Lance for a couple more seconds, she turned a heel and followed the Doctor and Charlene. She caught up to the two outside where they stood with the Doctor scanning the helmet with his sonic screwdriver and Charlene watched intensely.

"There's someone behind this, directing the robo-force," the Doctor finally said, still scanning the helmet, eyebrows furrowed.

"But why me?" Donna asked. "What have I done?"

"We have to find the controller first, Donna, before we can figure that out," Charlene answered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh!" The Doctor suddenly exclaimed as he raised the sonic in the air. "It's up there. Something in the sky." In unison, they all looked up as Lance appeared beside them, looking confused as to what they were all watching.

The Doctor pulled the helmet away from his ear, frowning.

"What?"

"I've lost the signal," the Doctor explained to Charlene as he turned towards Donna, "Donna – we've got to get to your office, H C Clements. I think that's where it all started." Then to Lance, "Lance – is it Lance? Can you give us a lift?"

"Great, thank you," Charlene said, not even waiting for Lance to answer as the Doctor darted off, also not waiting for an answer. The blonde darted off after the Doctor and Donna shared a look with her fiancé before she took off after the Doctor and Charlene, tugging Lance along by the hand.

It wasn't long until they arrived at the building and they all ran inside. Donna was in front as she was leading them to her office. Once there, the Doctor and Charlene went straight over to a computer. As Charlene turned it on, the Doctor said:

"This might just be just a locksmiths, but HC Clements was brought up twenty years ago by the Torchwood Institute."

Donna could see Charlene stiffen and her face darken at those words.

"Torchwood," she gritted out. "Why_Torchwood_?"

The Doctor grabbed a hold of Charlene's hand, the first contact that Donna had ever seen them share, and squeezed it.

"I know," he told her quietly, thumb brushing across the back of her hand, causing the blonde to relax. Donna watched this, confused.

"Who are they?" she asked, spoiling the moment between Charlene and the Doctor, who broke contact with each other. Charlene averted her eyes as the Doctor answered the question.

"They were behind the battle of Canary Wharf."

Donna was still confused. The Doctor and Charlene seemed to get this as silence filled the air.

"Cyberman Invasion," Charlene said in a tone that seemed to say that she should know about this.

But it still left Donna confused as she looked at the blonde questioningly.

"London skies full of Daleks?" The Doctor tried again.

"Oh, I was in Spain," Donna finally said, pretending that she knew what they were talking about. That and she really did go to Spain.

"Um, Donna, they had Cybermen in Spain," Charlene told her.

"Scuba diving." Donna shrugged her shoulders.

"That big picture, Donna – you keep missing it." The Doctor ran over to another computer as Charlene stayed where she was. "Torchwood was destroyed, but HC Clements stayed in business. I think … someone else came in and took over," he whacked the computer, "the operation."

"But what do they want with me?"

The Doctor gave her his full attention, "Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy. And that's a problem because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark times. The only place you'd find a Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS. See? That's what happened."

Donna didn't see it and Charlene got that.

"What the Doctor is trying to say in the simplest term possible," she started off, going over to Donna and the Doctor. "Pretend that this is the TARDIS." She picked up a mug and showed it to Donna, "And pretend that this is you." Picking up a pencil this time, "The particles inside you activated and the two sets of particles magnetized like a magnet and BAM!" She shouted the 'BAM' part causing Donna and Lance to jump. She threw the pencil into the mug, "You got pulled into the TARDIS. Just like that."

"I'm a pencil inside a mug?" Donna asked weakly.

"Yes, you are." The Doctor was the one who answered her this time as he took the mug from Charlene and gave it a shake. "4H. Sums you up." He set the mug down and turned to Lance, "Lance? What was HC Clements working on? Anything top secret? Special operations? Do not enter?"

"I don't know," Lance said defensively. "I'm in charge of personnel. I wasn't project manager."

Charlene looked him over. "Good," she said bluntly. "You don't look like the manager type."

Lance looked insulted, but the blonde paid him no mind, going over to the Doctor, who was now paying attention to the computer. Donna gave her a fiancé a pat on the shoulder as the Doctor pointed and held the sonic to the screen where it instantly displayed the page he was looking for.

"Why the hell am I even explaining myself?" Lance asked, back to being defensive. "What the hell are we talking about?"

"They make keys, that's the point," the Doctor said. "And look at this…" He turned the computer for Lance and Donna to see. On the screen was a 3D plan of the building. "We're on the third floor."

Minutes later, they were waiting for the lift to come down to their floor.

"Underneath reception, there's a basement, yeah?" The doors of the lift opened up with a ping and the Doctor, along with Charlene stepped inside the lift.

"Oh would you look at that," Charlene stated, looking at the controls.

"What?" Donna wondered what the small blonde saw.

"Like the Doctor said, there's a basement underneath reception," Charlene said to her as she looked over at her. "But when you look on the controls, you can see that there is a button marked 'lower basement'…"

The Doctor continued, "There's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plans." He looked back at the controls, "So what's down there, then?"

"Are you telling me this building's got a secret floor?"

Charlene rolled her eyes, "No, he's showing you that there _is_ a secret floor."

"It needs a key."

"_I_ don't." The Doctor used the sonic on the lock before turning towards Lance and Donna, "Right then, thanks you two, we can handle this – see you later."

_'Oh no, they didn't.'_ "No chance, Martians," Donna said stubbornly as she joined them on the lift. "You both keep saving my life, I ain't letting you two out of my sight."

Charlene laughed. "Wouldn't have it any other way, Donna." She winked at her and Donna smiled.

"Going down," the Doctor said, pushing the down button

Donna gave Lance a pointed look, "Lance."

"Maybe I should go to the police."

"Inside." Donna could see Charlene stifle a giggle as Lance jointed them in the lift meekly.

"To honour and obey?"

The doors to the lift closed and the lift descended.

* * *

As soon as the lift signalled that they were down at the lower basement, the Doctor stepped out with Charlene, Donna, and Lance right behind him. He looked around. They were standing in a long, dark corridor, and it was dimly lit with eerie green light.

"They definitely got the creepy basement part down," Charlene commented, looking around herself.

The Doctor couldn't but nod in agreement. It was rather creepy.

"Well, what goes on down here?"

"Let's find out," the Doctor said.

"Do you think Mr. Clements knows about this place?" Donna wondered out loud.

"Well, if he doesn't know about it, he definitely has something to do with what's going on," Charlene told Donna as something caught the Doctor's eye and he grinned to himself. Brilliant!

"Oh, look – transport," he said, nodding towards the thing he was looking at.

Charlene followed his gaze and gave him a look, but it was an amused one. "Really Doctor? Really?"

"Oh yes!" The Doctor grinned at her and she grinned back. And once again, it felt normal again.

There was only three electric scooters so Charlene had to be put behind the Doctor with her arms wrapped in a firm grip around his waist. It was somewhat awkward to be this close to the Doctor again because of the way he had been treating her, but he still got the feeling he always got with her before she regenerated. Another thing that reminded him that this was still his Charlene, causing him to once again feel guilty. Suddenly, the Doctor's thoughts were broken by laughter coming from where Donna was. He looked over at her and she was looking over at him and Charlene and Lance, laughing it up. Looking at Donna, the Doctor took to how comical they looked on this scooter and he found himself laughing along with Donna and it was soon joined in by Charlene while Lance watched on with a confused expression, not getting it.

They came up to a door which said, 'Torchwood – authorized personnel only' and the Doctor stopped his electric scooter. Donna and Lance did the same thing as he and Charlene went up to the door. The Doctor turned the wheel to open the door and he pulled it open to reveal a ladder. He peered upwards.

"Wait here," the Doctor told Lance and Donna. "Just need to get my bearings. Don't," he looked at them sternly, "do anything."

"No wandering off either," Charlene added as the Doctor started up the stairs and she grabbed onto the ladder.

"You two better come back," Donna told them with a pointed look.

The Doctor paused in his climbing to grin down at her. "You couldn't get rid of us if you tried."

Donna smiled. The Doctor made sure that Charlene was behind him before starting up the stairs again.

* * *

"Donna…"

She heard Lance's voice but she wasn't really paying attention to him as she watched the Doctor and Charlene climb up the ladder to make sure that they wouldn't fall.

"Have you thought about this? Properly? I mean it, this is serious! What the hell are we gonna do?"

"Oh, I thought July," Donna said offhandedly as she wasn't really listening to what he saying. She did hear what he said though. She smiled brightly at Lance before turning her attention back to the Doctor and Charlene. It wasn't long until they came back down and the Doctor jumped off the last rung on the stairs.

"Thames flood barrier!" he said as Charlene climbed the rest of the way down, brushing herself off. "Right on top of us. Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath."

Donna looked at him surprised. "What, there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London landmark?"

"I know! _Unheard_ of."

"But it's very Torchwood," Charlene said darkly, a haunted look in her eyes.

"What did this Torchwood do to you?" Donna asked the blonde quietly as they headed over to this curtain.

Charlene stiffened up at the question. "In the battle of Canary Wharf," she said slowly, "my family died … my human family." She didn't say anything more than that and Donna didn't press her as she could tell that it was sore subject for her.

"Oh, look at this!" the Doctor exclaimed when they entered this laboratory, full of massive test tubes bubbling away and chemistry equipment. He looked around in amazement as he walked through it, "Stunning! Particle extrusion!"

"What does it do?" Donna asked curiously as Charlene took a look around herself.

"Particle extrusion. Hold on…" The Doctor darted over to one of the bubbling tubes and tapped it. "Brilliant. They've been manufacturing Huon particles. In case our people got rid of Huons, they unravelled the atomic structure."

"Our people?" Lance repeated, looking at Charlene and the Doctor. "Who are they? What company do they represent?"

"No one," Charlene answered from where she stood behind another one of the bubbling tubes, peering into curiously. "Just a couple of freelancers here." She moved out from behind the tube, "But back to the point, they're rebuilding the Huron particles by using the…" She trailed off, giving a pointed look to the Doctor.

Donna wondered it was for, but the Doctor seemed to get what she saying.

"The river!" he exclaimed. "They're using the river! Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they got the end result – Huon particles in liquid form."

"Something like this," Charlene said, as she picked up a small tube, full of Huron particles before tossing it to the Doctor, who caught it.

"And that's what inside me?" Donna asked, nodding towards the tube and wondering how she got the liquid inside of her.

Without words, the Doctor gently turned a knob at the top of the test tube, making the contents glow gold. Looking at herself, Donna found that she was glowing gold too and gaped down at herself.

"Oh, my God."

"Because the particles are inert – they need something living to catalyse inside and that's you," the Doctor told her, turning the tube off, and Donna stopped glowing. "Saturate the body and then… HA!" He shouted and the red head jumped out of her skin while Charlene didn't even flinch. The Doctor was enthusiastic to say the least as he continued speaking, really, really fast without even taking a breath, "The wedding! Yes, you're getting married, that's it! Best day of your life, walking down the aisle – oh, your body's a battleground! There's a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, acetylcholine, WHAM goes the endorphins, oh you're cooking! Yeah, you're like a walking oven! All pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away, the particles reaches boiling point, SHAZAM!"

All Donna could think about as he made this speech was how excited he was about this, like he was actually enjoying what was going on. To say it was annoying would be a big understatement. Donna ended up slapping him for the second time that day.

"What did I do that time?" the Doctor questioned, indignantly, much like last time.

"Are you enjoying this?" Donna demanded. The Doctor relaxed, looking ashamed. She really couldn't help her heavy breathing as she walked towards the Doctor. "Right, just tell me – these particles are they dangerous? Am I safe?"

"Yes!"

But Donna didn't believe him and she was sure it showed on her face.

"No need to lie to the girl, Doctor," Charlene said, stepping beside the Doctor as she looked over at him before looking over at her seriously. "What do you want to know?"

"If your lot got rid of Huon particles…" Donna let out a shaky breath. "Why did they do it?"

"They did it because they were deadly."

At those words, Donna's heavy breathing seemed to get even heavier. "Oh, my God," she managed to say.

Charlene gripped her shoulders, well...as best as she could with her size. "Look at me," she told her and Donna forced herself to meet Charlene's serious brown eyes, "we are not going to let anything happen to you, Donna. We _will_ figure this out and we _will _reverse what happened to you. We are not going to lose someone else."

Just then, there were crashes and bangs that seemed to come from all around them. The only thought that Donna had was… '_what the hell is going on?_'

"Oh, she is long since lost." A creepy voice stated as one of the walls slid upwards to reveal a secret chamber with an enormous round hole in the floor. "I have waited so long, hibernating at the edge of the universe… until the secret heart was uncovered and called out to waken!"

Looking up, Donna saw that the walls of the chambers were lined up with the armed robots wearing black hoods. The Doctor and Charlene both peered down the hole.

"Someone's been digging… oh, _very_Torchwood," the Doctor said.

Charlene nodded in agreement with yet another dark look on her face. "How far does it go down?"

"Down and down, all the way to the centre of the Earth!"

"You're kidding me," Charlene said in disbelief. "Why the hell would you do something like that for?"

Donna shuffled forward, wanting to help. "Dinosaurs?"

"What?" the Doctor looked at her confused.

"Dinosaurs?"

But he still looked confused. "What are you on about, dinosaurs?"

"She's talking about that film, 'Under the Earth'," Charlene told the Doctor before Donna could say anything. "It was about dinosaurs. She's trying to help."

"Well, that's not helping."

"Such a sweet couple."

The Doctor and Charlene ignored that bit, but they didn't deny it like Donna thought they would. Then she realized that maybe they were a couple. They acted like one. Even a blind man could see they were. Though they had been tense with each other, they stood rather close together, close enough in fact that they could hold hands if they wanted. Donna was broken out of her thoughts by the Doctor speaking.

"Only a mad man talks to think air and trust me, you don't want to make me mad," he said. "Where are you?"

"High in the sky, floating so high on Christmas Night."

"We didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Who are you with such command?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"Prepare you best medicines, doctor-man, for you will be sick at heart." Donna's eyes widened at the sight of this rather large spider-like creature appearing in the chamber, growing and snarling. _What the hell?_

**TBC...**

**In...**

**Part 5 of the Runaway Bride...**

**I'm sorry that the episode is taking such a long time to finish. This is seriously a long episode to work through, but I'm managing, but I do have one more part to this episode so I hope you don't mind. Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you think!**


	5. The Runaway Bride, Part 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 52 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

OMG WHO LOVED THE TRAILER FOR THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR! IT WAS JUST AMAZING AND MADE ME EVEN MORE IMPATIENT FOR THE SPECIAL! *squeals* Oh and it turns out that there will be a mini-sode on Saturday (11/16/13) called Night of the Doctor which will explain how Ten and Eleven ended up together in the same place for the special so that should be interesting and fun to watch considering it is Matt Smith and David Tennant together. I mean, come on, how epic is that going to be? But from what I read, it doesn't look like Clara will be there (must have happened on a Wednesday or something lol). A little bit sad about that as I want to see Ten and Clara interact with each other...

But anyway! Back to the story, sorry it took a little while for this to be posted, been a tiny ... okay a lot distracted lol. I blame Doctor Who and my excitement over the Day of the Doctor. Enjoy the chapter guys! ;)

_Edit: Now BETAed by Yhoretta  
_

* * *

Charlene couldn't believe what she was staring at. It was one of the Racnoss! A creature that wasn't supposed to be alive, but here one was, snarling and growling at them. Charlene didn't have to look at the Doctor to know that he was just as shocked by this as she was.

"The Racnoss…" The Doctor breathed out, eyes wide. "But that's impossible, your one of the Racnoss! It's a Racnoss!" He said the last part to Charlene.

"Uh-uh." Charlene simply nodded, still in disbelief.

"_Empress_ of the Racnoss," the alien corrected the Doctor.

"If you're the Empress, where's the rest of the Racnoss?" As soon as that left the Doctor's mouth though, he realized the answer to his question, "Or… are you the only one?"

"Such a sharp mind."

"That's it, the last of your kind," the Doctor turned to Donna then, not breaking his gaze on the Racnoss. "The Racnoss come from the Dark Times, billions of years ago, _billions_. They were carnivores, omnivores, they devoured whole _planets_."

"Racnoss are born _starving_, is that our fault?"

"No, it's not, but it still doesn't give you a right to kill innocent people," Charlene snapped, narrowing her eyes at the Empress. She hated it when a creature thought that they were so superior and when they thought that they could do anything and kill people, _innocent_ people, who didn't deserve it. Like the Daleks. She couldn't stop her face from darkening at the thought of them, her hands curling into fists as flashes of watching her parents on Gallifrey die at the 'hand' of a Dalek came into her mind.

"They eat people?" Donna's voice broke Charlene out of thoughts.

She looked at the red head to see her staring pointedly, waiting for an answer, so she gave it to her. "Yes, they do."

"HC Clements, did he wear those – those erm, black and white shoes?" The Doctor asked randomly.

This brightened Donna up and she grinned, not realizing why he asked this question. But Char knew why … she was looking right up at those very shoes.

"He did," Donna said, "we used to call him the fat-cat-in-spats!" Not saying a word, Charlene tapped Donna on the shoulder and pointed upwards. The ginger followed the finger and gasped at the sight of those shoes poking just out of the spider web. "Oh my God!"

"Mm, my Christmas dinner." The Racnoss crackled madly.

"You shouldn't even _exist_!" The Doctor looked at Donna and told her offhandedly:"Way back in history, the Fledging Empires went to war against the Racnoss – they were wiped out."

"But here's the Empress, disproving this fact," Charlene said to Donna as well, but kept her eyes on the Empress, trying to figure out how and why the Empress was able to survive while all the others didn't. Then from her peripheral vision, she spotted Lance up on the balcony behind the Empress and she sighed to herself, already knowing what was coming. She wasn't the only one who saw him… Donna did too. And in an obvious – at least, to Charlene – bid to distract the Racnoss, the red head spoke up.

"But that's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing." The Empress wasn't listening, hissing and snarling at the Doctor. "Oi! Look at me, lady, I'm talking! Where do I fit in? How come I get all sacked up with these Huon particles?"

Charlene's focus was on Lance now as he descended the stairs, axe at the ready.

"Look at me, you! Look me in the eye and tell me!"

"The bride is so feisty!" The Empress said.

"Yes, I am! And I don't know what you are, you big," Donna tried to find a word for the creature and when she couldn't find one, she settled for, "thing." Charlene hid a smile at that. "But a spider's a spider and an axe is an axe. Now, do it!"

Lance swung the axe and the Empress spun around, hissing, at the last second. He stopped and they stared at each other for a moment before he glanced over at Donna and burst out laughing, along with the Empress, leaving a confused look on poor Donna's face. Charlene's hearts clenched for her.

"That was a good one," Lance said to the Empress through his laughter. "Your face!"

"Lance is funny." The Empress crackled again.

"What?" Donna breathed out, confused.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor told her quietly.

"We both are," Charlene agreed, taking a hold of Donna's hand and squeezing it with a sad look on her face.

"Sorry for what?" Charlene didn't respond and Donna ripped her hand out her grip before turning to her fiancé. "Lance, don't be so stupid! Get her!"

Lance stared at her pitifully and Charlene couldn't help but glare at him.

"God, she's thick," he said.

Donna looked right back at him, still so confused.

"Months I had to put up with her. _Months_. A woman who can't even point to Germany on a map." Lance scoffed.

"I don't understand."

"Remember how you told us, you met him at work?" Charlene started off slowly and softly.

Donna looked over at her and blinked, confused. "Yeah…"

"And he made you coffee?" Charlene finished gently.

She blinked again, "what?"

"Every day, I made you _coffee_." Lance was looking and talking to her as though he were talking to an idiot and Charlene hated him all the more. Donna didn't deserve this kind of treatment and she wasn't going to let a stupid bastard like Lance make her think that she wasn't good enough or anyone else for that matter. That's what Charlene promised at herself right at that moment.

"You had to be dosed with liquid particles over six months," the Doctor told Donna softly.

A look of realization came over Donna. "He was _poisoning_ me."

"He was," Charlene confirmed, wanting to hug the women who she already cared for even though she hadn't known Donna for long.

"It was all in the job title – the Head of Human Resources." The Doctor gave Lance a hard look.

"This time, it's personnel." Lance and the Empress laughed loudly at his unfunny joke.

"But… we were getting married," Donna whispered, but loud enough that Lance and the Empress could hear her.

"Well, I couldn't risk you running off. I had to say yes. And then I was got stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavor Pringle." Lance rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap, yap – 'oh, Brad and Angelina – is Posh pregnant?' X Factor, Atkins Diet, Feng Shui, split ends, text, text me, text me, dear God, the never ending fountain of fat, stupid, trivia."

Charlene glanced at Donna and her hearts clenched tighter at the sight of Donna's face, hurt and confused. She could see tears building in the ginger's blue eyes but she didn't let them fall.

"I deserve a medal."

Now Charlene couldn't help herself. "Really? Is that what the Empress promised you?" she sneered, taking a step forward. "You getting a medal for your _hard_ work of dealing with Donna? If you think you're going to get one, you're horribly mistaken because at the first chance the Empress gets, she will destroy you. Maybe not now or today, or even next week, but she will and it will be your own fault. Your own _stupid_ fault."

Lance was lost for words. "Well, it's better than a night with Donna," he finally said, obviously not being able to find anything else to say.

Charlene wanted to punch his face in and her hands curled into fists, forcing herself not to do so. Suddenly, she felt a comforting grip on her shoulder and she didn't glance up because she knew it was the Doctor. Charlene let out a breath and relaxed her arms, just realizing now how tense they actually were. Not really thinking about it all that much, she leaned into the Doctor's side, making his hand fall to her waist.

"But I _love you_," Donna whispered again, hurt laced in every word.

"That's what made it so easy," Lance retorted. He looked at the Doctor, "It's like you said, Doctor – the big picture – what's the point of it all if the Human Race is nothing? That's what the Empress can give me. The chance to… go out there. To see it. The size of it all." Lance's eyes peered into the Doctor's intensely, "I think you understand that, don't you Doctor?"

The Doctor didn't say anything, looking at Lance. He _did_ understand. He understood better than anyone. Charlene understood too…but it still didn't give him a right to hurt people to do it. The Doctor saw the world, yes, but he did with his heart on his sleeve. He wouldn't want to see anyone get hurt, he was called the Doctor for a reason. To help people. Even if they were in the wrong. And that was one of the many things Charlene loved about him. That he would do anything for the people he cared about. No matter the cost.

"Who is this little physician?" The Empress questioned.

"What she said – Martian," Lance answered then added, looking over at Charlene who glared at him. "Both of them are."

"Oh, we're sort of homeless," the Doctor drawled, stepping away from Charlene to move around. "But the point is, what's down there? What's gonna help you four thousand miles down? That's just the molten core of the Earth, isn't it?"

"I think he wants us to talk," Lance told the Empress.

"Oh, really? What would give you that idea?" Charlene asked sarcastically.

But she was ignored.

"I think so too," the Empress agreed with Lance.

"Well tough!" Lance sneered. He pointed at Donna, saying, "All we need is Donna!"

"Kill this chattering little doctor-man!"

Donna stood in front of the Doctor, "Don't you hurt him!"

"No, no, it's alright," he told her.

She shook her head, looking frightened, but she didn't move from her spot in front of the Doctor. "No, I won't let them!"

"At arms!"

Charlene gripped the Doctor's hand as the robots pointed their guns at the Doctor. He glanced over at her and she met his gaze, figuring out what he was thinking just by looking at his face. She gave a small nod and moved Donna out of the Doctor's way so that she was on the Doctor's side and Charlene was by hers.

"What are you—"

Charlene put a finger to her lips, cutting Donna off, while using her free hand to grip Donna's hand. "No worries, Donna," she told her quietly. "The Doctor knows what he's doing. He'll be fine. We all will."

Before the Empress could even speaking a word, the Doctor cut in, hands up asking for silence. "Ah now. Except."

"Take aim!" The Empress exclaimed.

"Well, I just want to point out the obvious—"

"They won't hit the bride. They're such very good_ shots_."

"Just – just – just – hold on, just a tick – just a tiny little tick." He got what he wanted and continued, "If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside our spaceship." Charlene grinned to herself as a fluttery feeling came over her and the Doctor gave her a quick, unseen wink. "So, reverse it… the spaceship comes to her."

He tweaked the tube of Huon particles once again and it caused both the particles in the tube and inside Donna to glow.

"Fire!" The Empress shouted.

But it was too late as when they fired their guns, the TARDIS had already materialized around them and Charlene, the Doctor, and Donna were safe inside.

"Off we go!" the Doctor shouted, darting to the console.

"My key! My key!" Charlene could the Empress yell frantically as the TARDIS dematerialized.

"Oh, you know what I said before about time machine?" the Doctor asked, working the controls on the console. "Well, I lied. And now we're going to use it."

The Doctor continued talking, but Charlene wasn't listening anymore as her eyes were on Donna, who was sitting down in the captain chair with her shoulders shaking. Charlene knew she was crying and she couldn't help herself now. She went over to Donna and wrapped her arms around the woman in a comforting hug. Donna turned to her and hugged her back, burying her face into her shoulder. Charlene didn't care that her shirt was getting wet with Donna's tears as she rubbed her back, whispering soothing words to her. The Doctor's babbling stopped and Charlene looked up at him, their eyes meeting. She kept his gaze for a few minutes before returning her attention back to Donna.

* * *

When the TARDIS arrived at her destination, she clicked as she cooled down and the Doctor peered around the console at Charlene and Donna. The two didn't have their arms around each other anymore, just sitting together in companionable silence. Donna wasn't crying anymore, but she still looked miserable. The Doctor couldn't help but feel bad for Donna. It must be awful to find out that the one you love didn't really love you and was only using you for his own selfish gain and for some crazy spider lady, who promised to show him the universe… The Doctor cleared his throat and Charlene glanced up at him.

"We've arrived," he said.

Charlene looked at Donna with a grin, nudging her hip with hers. "You wanna see what's out there?" she asked cheerfully, trying to get a smile on Donna's face.

Donna sniffed. "I s'pose," she said morosely.

The Doctor returned his attention to the scanner, swinging it around. "Oh, that screen's a bit small," he told Donna. He grinned cheekily to follow Charlene's example of getting the ginger happy. "Maybe your way's best." He went to the doors of the TARDIS and stopped, turning to Donna and Charlene.

Charlene stood up, holding out a hand towards Donna. "Come on," she said.

Donna sighed and took a hold of her fingers. As Charlene led her to the doors, the blonde said, "You know, no human's ever seen this. You're going to be the first."

"All I want to see is my bed." Donna sighed again as she and Charlene stood on either side of the Doctor.

"Donna Noble – welcome to the creation of the Earth." The Doctor grinned, throwing open the doors, revealing a spectacular sight. Even to him – who had already seen this before. It seemed like no matter how many times he saw something, every time he took someone else to witness it, he couldn't help but feel the same excitement as the first time. Just looking at his companion's faces and the awe in their eyes. The spectacular sight was that of the sun shining through beautiful multi-colored dust and gas clouds, enormous rocks floating around.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Charlene asked Donna, grinning.

She barely nodded, too immersed in the beauty of what she was seeing.

"We've gone back 4.6 million years," the Doctor declared. "There's no solar system, not yet. Only dust and rocks and gas." He pointed to the fiery ball of yellow gas, "That's the sun over there, brand new. Just beginning to burn."

"Where's the Earth?" Donna questioned, eyes still trained outside with them glancing around, trying to find the Earth.

"It's all around us," the Doctor replied, glancing over at her, "in the dust."

Donna continued to look around. "Puts the wedding in perspective. Lance was right." She looked like she hated to admit. "We're just… tiny."

"No, but that's what you do. The Human race." The Doctor nudged Donna in the side with a small grin. "Making sense out of chaos. Marking it out with Christmas and calendars. This whole process is beautiful, but only if it's being observed."

"So, I came out of all of this?"

"Yes you did, Donna Noble." Charlene smiled softly as the Doctor said with the small grin still on his face,

"Isn't that brilliant?"

Before Donna could say anything, a massive chuck of rocks floated lazily past the TARDIS.

"I think that's the Isle of Wight," Donna joked causing all three of them to laugh and the Doctor shared a smile with Charlene, both of them the redhead was smiling again.

Once the laugher stopped, the Doctor spoke again, moving his gaze from Charlene to the shining spectacle outside. "Eventually gravity takes hold. Say, one big rock, heavier than the others, starts to pull other rocks towards it. All the dust and gas and elements get pulled in, everything, pulling in until you get…"

"The Earth," Donna finished with a smile.

"But the question is…what was that first rock?" As soon as he asked this, a star shaped rock emerged through the clouds.

Charlene pointed towards it, "I think there's our answer."

"The Racnoss," he whispered.

* * *

Charlene stayed next to Donna, eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the rock that they had been waiting for. She went turned to the Doctor, but found that he was at the console, turning the wheel on the controls frantically.

"Hold on – the Racnoss are hiding from the war! What's it doing?" The question was directed towards both her and Donna, but it was the red head who answered.

"Exactly what you said," she told him.

The Doctor ran back to the door, quickly telling Charlene to go to the console to continue turning the wheel for whatever reason. She did what he asked, but kept on listening to the Doctor and Donna.

"Oh, they didn't just bury something at the centre of the Earth…they _became_ the centre of the Earth. The first rock."

All of the sudden, the TARDIS shuddered violently and all of them were nearly knocked off of their feet. Charlene kept a firm grip on the console to keep herself from falling.

"What was that?!" Donna exclaimed over the chaos.

"Trouble of course!" Charlene yelled over violent shuddering. "You might want to close the doors, Doctor!"

The Doctor didn't need to be asked twice as he slammed the doors shut. The TARDIS continued to shudder as she started now tip. It was a struggle to keep a firm grip on the console, but Charlene managed. Donna and the Doctor had the most trouble since they didn't have a hold of anything.

"What the hell's it doing?!" Donna shouted over the noise.

"The trick that the Doctor did, it doesn't just bring the TARDIS to us; it can reverse and bring it to them! In other words, they're pulling us back in!" Charlene shouted over the noise at the same time as she tried to pilot the TARDIS, but it was beyond her control. "Doctor! Some help would be fantastic!" she yelled.

At those words, the Doctor ran to her. But even with two people, piloting the TARDIS wasn't working out.

"Well, can't you stop it? Hasn't it got a handbrake? Can't you reverse or wrap or beam or something?"

"Back-seat driver," the Doctor muttered to Charlene, who shook her head at him. Then his eyes flashed with remembrance, "Oh! Wait a minute!" He pulled out a familiar device from underneath the console.

"The extrapolator!" Charlene couldn't help but exclaim happily. She had forgotten they had that! What a brilliant idea! Well, it was the Doctor so she wasn't _that _surprised.

The Doctor grinned. "Oh yes! The extrapolator!" Then to Donna, he told her, "It can't stop us, but it should give us a good jump!"

Char could feel the TARDIS materialize and the Doctor smacked the machine hard.

"Now!"

Once the TARDIS came to a stop, they ran to the doors and stepped outside, finding themselves in the corridor that they had been in previous. Charlene gave a sigh of relief, grateful that the extrapolator had worked.

"We're about twenty yards to the right," the Doctor said. "Come on!" Taking a hold of Charlene's hand, he took off running, dragging Char along, who grabbed onto Donna's hand so she wouldn't be left behind.

* * *

Donna was out of breath by the time they made it to the doorway that led up to the Thames Flood. What was it with these Martians and running anyway? They sure as hell did a lot of it. But while she was out of breath, she was still scared. She didn't know what was going on, well she kind of did, but the Doctor and Charlene weren't explaining it all that way. She didn't know any of this scientific mumbo jumbo that they were going on about, especially when _the Doctor_ spoke about it. Charlene tried to simplify, but even then it was confusing.

"What do we do?" Donna asked the Doctor, almost cursing herself for the fright that colored her tone.

"He doesn't know," Charlene answered for him as he was listening behind the door with a stethoscope…at least, that's what it seemed like. Donna gave the blonde an odd look for this answer so Charlene added, "I know. He usually just makes it up as he goes along. It's just how he works, but you shouldn't worry. He always figures it out…" She grinned slightly. "Usually."

"I still don't understand," Donna said, forcing herself not to sound exasperated. I'm full of particles – but what for?"

The Doctor was the one who answered this time, "There's a Racnoss web at the centre of the Earth, but our people unraveled their power source. The Huon particles creased to exist but the Racnoss are stuck."

That didn't help either and Donna would have said so if it wasn't for her being grabbed from behind and she couldn't even scream because the robot had covered her mouth. But it didn't stop her from struggling. As she was dragged away, she could see that Charlene was the first to notice she was gone and took off running towards them.

* * *

The Doctor didn't even know this was happening as he continued talking, "They've just been in hibernation for billions of years. Frozen. Dead. Kaput! So you're the new key. Brand new particles, living particles! They need you to open it." Finally he took notice to the fact that no one was saying anything especially Donna Noble, who hadn't been silent since he met her. "And you have never been so quiet."

He looked behind him and noticed that both Donna and Charlene were gone. He groaned, realizing what happened. Donna had been taken and Charlene was the one who noticed and took off after her. The Doctor looked up and down the empty corridor to make no one was there before using opening the door with the sonic. But he found himself face to face with an arm robot, earning another groan from the Doctor. Brilliant! Just brilliant!

* * *

**TBC...**

**In...**

**Part Six of the Runaway Bride...**

**I promise you the next part is the last one. I hate that I haven't updated this week which is why I'm ending this part here. Again the next part is the last part. There will be added scenes after the end of the episode so it won't be too short. Oh and a huge thanks to Yhorette for the brand new cover for this story and for BETAing the previous chapters ... well the first new chapters :) Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you think! Until next time on NBTS! :D**


	6. The Runaway Bride, Part 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 61 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

_9 more days until the Day of the Doctor! ;)_

_Edit: Now BETAed by Yhoretta :)_

* * *

Ever since she was little (at least, in her human life), Charlene had hated spiders and being stuck in one's web wasn't exactly a day in the park. When she chased after Donna, she didn't get to her in time as she was captured by another one of those armed robots, thus putting her into the situation that she was in now. Along with Donna and Lance, who weren't exactly seeing eye to eye…for good reason of course. But being _literally_ in the middle of it wasn't fun.

"I hate you," Donna snapped over at Lance, who rolled his eyes at her.

"Yeah, I think we've gone a bit beyond that now, sweetheart."

"A_ bit_?" Charlene snorted. "More like _way_ beyond that."

Lance glared at her, "What are you doing up here anyway?"

"I don't know!" She glared back at him. _But that was a very good question…_ "What am I doing up here?" She asked the Empress.

But the Empress wasn't paying attention to her, eyes only on Donna and Lance, earning an annoyed huff from Charlene. "My golden couple," she said. "Together at last – your awful wedded life. Tell me; do you want to be released?"

"Yes!" they shouted in unison while Charlene decided to try to get free of the web since the Empress wasn't pay attention to her, but it wasn't working all that well.

"You're supposed to say 'I do.'"

Lance snorted this time, "Ha. No chance."

"Say it!" The Empress growled angrily.

He looked reluctant as he turned his head to look at Donna. "I do," he managed to force out.

"I do."

Charlene sighed in relief, hoping that this meant they would get out. Same went for her… at least she hoped she was able to get out along with Donna and Lance. Even though she had no idea why she was even up here in the first place. She didn't have any Huon particles inside her so she wouldn't be of any use. Then again, the Empress could use her against the Doctor so that could possibly be a reason why she was here. Her thoughts were broken at the sound of the Empress laughing madly.

"I don't!"

Charlene growled as she continued her struggle to get out of the web. "That's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair!" The Empress cracked again then stopped abruptly to say, "Activate the particles! Purge every last one!"

Charlene had to watch helplessly as Donna and Lance both began to glow. She _hated_ feeling helpless, but even more so it felt like in this form as she was itching to help, not even caring if something happened to her.

"And release!"

The particles extracted themselves from Donna and Lance only to zoom down in the hole in the ground.

"The secret heart unlocks. And they will waken from their sleep of ages."

"Who will? What's down there?" Donna demanded.

"How_ thick_ are you?" Lance rolled his eyes at her.

"Hey, leave her alone!" If it wasn't for the fact that her legs were stuck to the web, Charlene would have kicked him. God, he was so rude. She was getting enough of that from the Doctor and now she was getting it from this guy? The universe must have it in for her right now. First she opened up the fob watch getting her memories of her life as a Time Lady on Gallifrey back, then she lost her human sister and mother, then she regenerated into this _new_ but not new person, then she was being treated by the Doctor as if she weren't there anymore, like he had_ lost_ her... like as she said before, dead to him, and he was lying as if nothing were wrong…being the stubborn man that he was. Charlene knew then and there that she was going to have a talk with the Doctor after all this was over. She deserved the truth and she wasn't going to give up until she got it.

"My children!" the Racnoss finally exclaimed in reply to Donna, snapping Char out of her thoughts. "The long lost Racnoss. Now will be born again to feast on flesh!"

If one listened hard enough, you could hear the chirping of the arachnids and pattering of their feet crawling up the hole.

_'Just brilliant,'_ Charlene growled in her head. _'We're going to be taken over by spiders!'_

"The star shall come to me," the Empress continued. "My babies will be hungry." She looked at Lance and crackled, "Perish the web."

At those words, he began to struggle in his sticky prison, yelling as he nodded his head quickly to Donna, "Use her! Not me! Use her!"

"Oh, my funny little Lance!" The Empress crackled again. She sure liked to do that a lot. "But you are quite impolite to your lady-friends…The Empress does not approve."

The web around Lance loosened and he tumbled down the hole, screaming.

"Laaaaaace!" Dona yelled, horrified.

Though she didn't like Lance, Charlene did feel bad for Donna since she truly did love that man and she wanted to comfort her, but she'd have save that for later. She was caught in a spider web after all. Charlene wondered then where the Doctor was. He should have been here by now, but she figured he was waiting for exactly the right moment.

"Harvest the humans! Reduce them to meat!"

'_How pleasant_?' Charlene thought to herself sarcastically as one of the robots climbed the stairs, running up the side of the chamber. She grinned to herself, recognizing the robot as the Doctor just from the way he was running. She'd travelled with the Doctor long enough to recognize this, especially with the amount of springing they actually did during their adventures.

"My children are coming towards me and none shall stop them!" The Empress hissed as she turned to the robot. "So you might as well unmask my clever little doctor-man."

"Oh well. Nice try." The Doctor removed the cloak and the mask, throwing it off to the side. "I've got you, Donna, Char!" He aimed the sonic up at Donna first causing her web to loosen then did the same thing to Charlene.

"I'm gonna fall!" Donna screeched.

"No, we're going to swing!" As soon as those words left Charlene's mouth, both her and Donna's web broke and they swung right over the hole on one of the stands of the web, right towards the Doctor.

"I've got both of ya!" he cried, stretching out his arms.

Donna screamed as she swung while Charlene yelped out in joy, feeling the adrenaline rushing through her. Fortunately for her, she got caught by the Doctor around the waist. Donna – on the other hand…

She swung right underneath the Doctor and Charlene, smashing into the wall with a dull bang.

The Empress smirked at this while Charlene winced.

"… oh." The Doctor scratched the back of his head while getting one arm around Charlene's waist, "Sorry."

Charlene peered over the railing and saw Donna sprawled on the floor, looking up at them.

"Thanks for _nothing_," she said, throwing her arms up slightly in exasperation.

"The doctor-man amuses me."

The Doctor let go of Charlene's waist, turning towards the Empress. "Empress of the Racnoss – I give you one last chance," he announced. "I can find you a planet. I can find you a place in the universe to co-exist. Take that offer and end this now."

"These men are so funny."

"What's your answer?" The Doctor asked quietly.

"Oh – I'm afraid I have to decline." She laughed.

Charlene sighed. "Big mistake."

"What happens next is your own doing."

"I'll show you what happens next." The Empress hissed. "At arms!"

The robots raised their guns. If it wereanyone else, they would be worried, but not Charlene… she knew that the Doctor had something up his sleeve. He always did.

"Take aim!" The robots listened, "And—" But the Empress was cut off by the Doctor.

"Relax," he said quietly, and they did.

Donna, who was now on her feet, looked up at the Doctor confused. "What did you do?"

"Guess what I've got, Donna." The Doctor produced the remote control that controlled the robots from one of his pockets.

The red head looked taken aback, "How did that fit in there?"

"Ah, it's bigger on the inside." Charlene winked.

The Empress was unfazed. "Robo-forms are not necessary. My children may feast on Martian flesh. You and your little girlfriend too." She hissed again, lips curling.

"Oh, but we've not from Mars," The Doctor told her calmly.

"Definitely not." Charlene nodded in agreement.

"Then where?"

"Our home planet is far away and long-since gone. But its name lives on." And in unison, both the Doctor and Charlene said, "Gallifrey."

"They _murdered_ the Racnoss!" the Empress cried, suddenly full of anger and hatred.

"I warned you. You did this." And he pulled out a handful of baubles and the Empress panicked.

"No! No! Don't! No!"

But it was no use as the Doctor threw several handfuls of baubles into the air. Some surrounded the Empress and some smashed into the walls of the corridor, destroying exploding and letting water from the Thames rush through in torrents. Another bauble caused a fire at the Empress' many feet. She wailed as water flooded into the chamber and into the hole. Even though the Empress had tons of chances to stop this from happening, Charlene felt bad for the spider and for her children. The human part of her was showing and she figured that it would always be there considering the amount of time she spent as one.

"My children!" The Empress roared, grief-stricken.

Charlene could feel the water dripping down her face as she glanced at the Doctor, who was watching this happen silently, surrounded by fire and water just like she was, while the river swirled down the hole like it was a plug hole.

"No! My children! My children!" she roared hysterically as she was consumed by the flames.

"Doctor! You can stop now!" called Donna.

But he wasn't stopping. Charlene recognized the look on his face and the darkness in his eyes as he watched the Racnoss writhe and wail in agony.

"Doctor!" she said loudly, grasping his face in her hands. Her hearts broke at the pain in his eyes. "You have to stop," she whispered, eyes peering into his. "Snap out of it, love."

_As he stared at her, she was worried that he wasn't going to snap out of it. _It was scary when he got like this. She hated seeing her Doctor in pain and no matter how much she got mad at him that wouldn't stop.

But her worry was put to rest as the Doctor finally snapped out of it as if nothing happened. "Come on!" He shouted down to Donna, grasping Char's hand. "Time to get you out!"

Donna met up with the both of them on the stairs and they ran up the stairs, soaking wet.

As they climbed up the latter that led up to the Thames to get out, Donna asked, "What about the Empress?"

"She used up all of Huon energy – she's defenceless!"

"Climb faster!" Charlene exclaimed to Donna and the Doctor, who quickened their pace.

Finally they reached the top of the ladder and they clambered out into the night. Charlene was surprised that all of them managed to fit up there. The night was quiet … too quiet. Donna, the Doctor, and Charlene shared looks for a couple seconds before they whooped and cheered in delight, realizing why it was quiet.

The Racnoss had been destroyed.

"Just…" Donna caught her breath first before she continued, "There's one problem."

"What's that?" The Doctor and Char questioned as they looked at her.

"We've drained the Thames."

Sure enough, the Thames was completely emptied of water and the trio couldn't help but collapse into laughter once more.

* * *

Donna stepped out of the TARDIS and found herself back at her street, safe and sound. The ship had parked across the road from her house and she could see her parents inside the house, talking quietly to one another. She'd only been staring at them for a couple seconds before she turned at the sound of the Doctor's voice.

"There we go." He was standing outside of the TARDIS with Charlene by his side, smiling at her as the small blonde leaned back against the wood. "Told you she'd be all right. She can survive anything."

Donna smiled, "Much more than I've done."

"Well, I think if you can survive a day with him," Charlene spoke, nodding towards the Doctor. "You can survive anything." She winked at Donna and laughed while the Doctor playfully glared at her, nudging her side.

"Oi, a day with me isn't so bad," he told her. "At least, it's never boring."

"Mm, true." Charlene smiled up at him. To Donna, it seemed as if the tension they had before was gone and she was glad for it. From what she'd seen, these two loved each other very much and they fit like magnets, forever connecting together. Donna was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of the sonic, scanning her, and she rolled her eyes. Again with the bleeping. But it ended as quickly as it started.

"All the Huon particles have gone," the Doctor said brightly. "No damage, you're fine."

"Yeah, but apart from that…" Donna sighed, remembering all that happened today. She definitely didn't expect this kind of stuff to happen when she woke up this morning. "I missed my wedding, lost my job, and became a widow on the same day. Sort of."

"I couldn't save him," the Doctor promised. She shrugged her shoulders, unemotionally.

"He deserved it." Her face hardened as he raised his eyebrows at her and her face softened. No matter what he did to her, no one deserved to die that way. "No, he didn't." She looked back at her house from over her shoulder, "I'd better go inside. They'll be worried."

"Yeah, it'll be the best Christmas present they could and should have," Charlene said softly as they watched her mother and father embrace each other. "Keep them close."

Donna looked back at Charlene to see a sad look on her face and the Doctor's eyes floated over to her, an understanding smile on his lips, as his fingers brushed the back of Charlene's hand, the one that was closest to him, comfortingly. At the touch, Charlene snapped out of it, moving her hand from the Doctor and crossed her arms, grinning now.

"But wait, you hate Christmas?" she said and Donna nodded, giving her a pointed look.

"Yes, I do."

"Even if it snowed."

Before she could ask what the Doctor meant, he tweaked a hidden switch on the TARDIS and a ball of light shot out of the top only to explode like fireworks in the sky. To Donna's amazement, it started to snow. Proper snow. She laughed in delight.

"I can't believe you did that!" she said through her delighted laughter. There was a pause as her laughter stopped. But the pause didn't last long as the Doctor spoke in a causal, nonchalant tone, adding a shrug.

"Oh, basic atmospheric excitation." He grinned at her and she smiled back as Charlene watched on, a smile on her face as well.

"Merry Christmas to the both of you," Donna said, looking at Charlene and the Doctor.

"And you. So…" The Doctor paused. "What will you with yourself now?"

"Not getting married for starters." She knew that for sure. "And I'm not gonna temp anymore." Another thing she was sure about. "I dunno…travel…see a bit more of planet Earth… walk in the dust. Just go out there and do something."

"Well, you could always…"

"What?" Donna looked at the Doctor curiously.

"…come with us…"

"Yeah, come with us!" Charlene was quick to agree, beaming at her. "We would love to have you on board." She sounded so honest where Donna couldn't bare to say no, but she couldn't go… the entire thing frightened her to death. She couldn't do this kind of stuff every day like the Doctor and Char did. From today, she knew that this was the stuff that they lived for. Always running, never stopping… They were waiting for an answer so she spoke.

"No." She smiled, but it felt forced to her.

"Okay," the Doctor said quickly while Charlene looked disappointed, but she didn't say anything.

"I can't…" An overwhelmed look crossed her face, the things that happened finally getting to her.

"Donna, it's fine," Charlene reassured her. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"No, but really…" Donna took a deep breath, "Everything we did today…do you two live your life like that?"

"…Not all the time," the Doctor lied unconvincingly and she saw right through that.

"I think you do. And I couldn't..."

"But you've seen it out there. It's beautiful."

"And it's terrible," Donna said, softly. "That place was flooding and burning and you just stood there like…" She didn't know how to describe, but it felt as if she was looking at someone that wasn't the Doctor… "I don't know." She admitted. "A stranger. And then you made it snow – I mean, you scared me to death!"

Hurt flashed in the Doctor's eyes, but Donna pretended not to notice. After a short silence, she heard him again.

"Well then." An idea came to Donna's mind. "Tell you what I _will_ do though – Christmas dinner."

"Donna, I don't –" The Doctor looked at Char and Donna took the opportunity to cut off his protest.

"Oh come on."

"We don't do that sort of thing."

"You did it last year, you said so," Donna said, giving the Doctor a look before smiling, "And you might as well because Mum always cooks enough for twenty."

The Doctor tried to protest again, but he was cut off by Charlene.

"Oh come on, Doctor, I'm fine with having Christmas dinner," she said softly, squeezing his arm. "It doesn't bother me. Really." Her eyes peered into his eyes, proving her point.

"Oh, all right then," the Doctor relented, moving Charlene's hand from his arm only to entwine their fingers together. "But you go first, better warn them. And… don't say we're Martians." He gestured to the TARDIS, "We just have to park her properly."

"Yeah, she sometimes tends to drift." Charlene grinned, patting the box with her free hand affectionately. "Don't want her to go somewhere like the middle Ages or something like that."

"We'll see you in a minute." They both disappeared into the TARDIS, closing the door behind them.

Despite the fact that it looked like Charlene had convinced him to go to that Christmas, Donna felt as if this was going to be last time she saw them and she found herself, crying out as the TARDIS began to dematerialize,

"Doctor! Doctor! Charlene! Charlene!"

The engines stopped and the Doctor popped his head outside the door, along with Charlene.

"Blimey, you can shout."

"Am I ever going to see you two again?" she asked.

"If we're lucky," the Doctor replied with a smile as Charlene nodded in agreement.

"Just…promise me one thing; find someone," Donna told him.

"I have Charlene," he said. "I don't need anyone else." He glanced at Char but she stayed quiet.

"Yes, you do. You may have Charlene, but you need someone to stop you because I don't think she can all the time."

"Yeah," he said quietly. He paused before speaking again, "Thanks then, Donna – good luck and just…be magnificent."

"And fantastic and brilliant, and just be you because that is enough," Charlene added honestly.

Donna smiled and laughed, "I think I will, yeah."

They smiled back at her one last time before retreating but she called again, this time only to the Doctor as she wanted to ask the question that had been on her mind,

"Doctor?"

He pulled open the doors with mock exasperation, "Oh, what is it now?"

"That friend of yours…who was she?"

The Doctor didn't respond for a moment as he looked over his shoulder at who Donna guessed was Charlene before looking back at her.

"Just a friend…a really good friend."

She nodded, feeling as if she missed something in those words, as he closed the doors for the final time. Donna stood there and watched as the TARDIS instead of dematerializing shot up into the night sky. She smiled to herself sadly and she felt as if she made a huge mistake turning them down. Too late now… With that, Donna turned a heel and walked back towards her house, not knowing that this in fact wouldn't be the same time she saw the Doctor and Charlene…

* * *

It had been a couple of hours since he and Charlene left Donna at her house. Charlene had gone to her room, not speaking a word to him, while the Doctor stayed in the console room. It wasn't long until he decided to go see Charlene and give her something as a sort of apology and to have a talk that should have happened a while ago. But he didn't find her in her room, but in his. She didn't notice him come in as she was busy picking up the stuff that she had left in the room. The Doctor quietly closed the door. As soon as he did, he heard a click coming from the doorknob. With a curious frown, he turned it and found it locked. Knowing that it was the TARDIS who did this, he sighed, already figuring that she wouldn't let him or Charlene out until they had that talk. The TARDIS could be one stubborn machine.

Staring at her, the Doctor cleared his throat. However, Char didn't stop what she was doing but he knew that she had heard him as her head jerked up slightly at the sound.

"Charlene," he called her name softly.

"What?" she asked, a little stiffly, her back still to him.

"I'm—" He started off, but Charlene spoke before he could finish, turning towards him jerkily.

"Don't," she said through gritted teeth. "Don't apologize."

The Doctor sighed heavily, "Carly, what do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me why you're acting this way towards me," she said, crossing her arms over her chest, a familiar stubborn look on her face as she stepped closer to him, peering up at him with those brown eyes of hers, pleading with him. "After all that we've been through, I want you to be honest with me… You can tell me anything." She touched his cheek and he leaned into her touch as he always did, her touch was as familiar as it had always been.

"I know…"

"Then_ tell me_," she said softly as he pulled her hand away from his cheek, but kept it in his grasp, pulling it to his chest. Something she smiled at. The Doctor looked down at her and told her _everything._ It came out as one long ramble. After he finished, he waited for her to say something as he looked at her nervously. She stared for a couple minutes.

"Oh, Doctor…" She laughed, surprising him.

"What's so funny?" he asked defensively.

"I can't believe you feel that way," Charlene told him seriously, stopping her laughter. "I couldn't stop travelling with you even if I wanted to and I don't. I really don't. This is where I'm meant to be, I meant to be here with you… and my feelings for you haven't changed. I love you." The emotion she had in her voice as she said those words made his eyes tear up, wondering how in the world he got so lucky meeting this wonderful, amazing woman. "And that won't change, no matter what regeneration I'm in." She finished softly.

"And I you," the Doctor whispered to her, cupping her face in his hands. "I love you, Carly."

She beamed at him, grinning as her eyes sparked in a way that was so Charlene. He beamed back at her and pulled her into a kiss. She returned it immediately, wrapped her arms around his neck as he picked her up off of her feet, holding her close to him. Charlene deepened the kiss, smiling against his lips as her hands slipped into his hair, making him groan at the feelings of her fingers, moving through his hair. Unable to help it, he ran his tongue across her bottom lip, teasingly earning a groan from Charlene and her hands gripped his hair tightly. She opened her mouth for him slightly, giving him enough room to slip his warm tongue into her mouth only to find and tangle around hers, starting a battle for dominance.

As their tongues continued to wrestle, he let his hands move to her hips and he lifted her so she could wrap her lean legs around his waist. He carried her to the bed and somehow managed to get her onto it without having to break the kiss. His body covered her gently, not wanting to crush her. They just continued kissing, but that was it. Every caress, every kiss was gentle, loving, and passionate all rolled into one and showed just how much they loved each other.

Eventually, the Doctor was rested beside Charlene on top of the, just staring at her face as she slept, curled up against his side with her head rested on her pillow. He caressed her face with a gentle smile on his lips before wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her close. She stirred slightly but didn't wake up as she moved into her sleep to fit with the new position. Now her head was against his chest and she let out a small, content sigh as she snuggled against him. He smiled down at her, kissing the top of her head, and he closed his eyes, falling asleep himself.

**TBC...**

**In...**

**Smith, Smith, and Jones, Part 1..****.**

* * *

**And we end the episode with a happy ending and now we are onto Martha Jones...**

**I have plans for this season, let me tell ya. There will be twists. As for what kind? Well as River Songs says, spoilers ;)**

**But I can tell you that Martha will still get her crush on the Doctor and Charlene doesn't like that so her and Martha's relationship will be tense at least in the beginning. But Char won't be mean to Martha like Rose was with Sarah Jane. Oh and from this point on, there won't be more than three parts to a episode. This one was an exception as it was really long.**

**Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you thought of the last part of the Runaway Bride!**

**P.S. Wasn't the Night of the Doctor amazing?! I loved it!**


	7. Smith, Smith, and Jones, Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 72 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

So to make this different, this entire episode will be in Martha's POV. I think I'll be doing this for every new companion we get where their episode is just in their POV, but all the other episodes will be in multiple POVs, more specifically for this season in Martha's, the Doctor's, and Charlene's. Now that's out of the way, enjoy the chapter!

_7 more days until the Day of the Doctor for those seeing it on the 23rd and TENant days for those seeing it in the theaters on the 25th! ;)_

_Now BETAed by Yhoretta ;)_

* * *

When she woke up that morning, Martha Jones expected to have another boring, normal day at work. But it didn't end up that way. Instead, she met a man called the Doctor, his girlfriend, Charlene, and spent the day running for her life from 'intergalactic police' that looked like Rhinos, on the _moon_ none-the-less!

Confused? Well, let's start from the beginning.

Martha Jones walked down the crowded Chancery street on her way to the Royal Hope Hospital. It was early in the morning, but when you live in London, it's always hustle and bustle of the people wasn't heard by Martha as she was listening casually to the radio.

It was nice to hear the music without getting interrupted by her crazy, out of control family, who she loved with all her heart, but 'out of control' was a very accurate description. It all started when her Dad cheated on her mother with a younger woman named Annalise. They got a divorce, and ever since, her family had been the way it is now. Sometimes Martha wondered how she was able to deal with all the drama. She couldn't help feeling that there was something more out of there for her than just waking up, going to work, then coming back home to deal with all the crazy in her life.

Her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts and the radio. Turning it off, Martha picked up her phone, glanced at the caller ID, and saw that it was her sister, Tish. Forcing down a sigh, she answered the phone, putting it to her ear.

"You're up early!" she said as brightly as she could. "What's happening?" She had to ask because there had to be _something_. Her sister was never up this early.

"It's a nightmare, because Dad won't listen and I'm telling you, Mum is going mental. Swear to God, Martha, this is epic. You've got to get in there and stop him."

Why did it always have to be her? She always asked this question to herself, but she never could get an answer for it. "How do I do that?" Martha asked.

"Tell Dad he can't bring her!" _Her_ being Annalise. Martha's brother, Leo, was having his 21st birthday tonight and her father wanted to bring _Annalise_. She couldn't very well tell her Dad not to bring her. He was an adult and he could bring anyone he liked even if it were someone who ruined their family from top to bottom. Before she could even reply to her sister, her phone rang again with the familiar ringtone of her brother.

"Hold on," Martha said, forcing down another sigh. "That's Leo. I'll call you back." She switched to her brother, who was speaking before she could greet him.

"Martha, if Mum and Dad start to kick off, tell them I don't even want a party. I didn't even ask for one. They can always just give me money instead."

'_You tell them!_' Martha wanted to scream, but instead, "Yeah, but why do I have to tell them? Why can't you?" And her phone rang _again_. Yes, this was her life. This time though, it was her Mum. "Hold on," she said to Leo. "That's Mum. I'll call you back." Switching the phone to her mum, she – once again – didn't have to time to greet the person on the other end as her Mum started ranting.

"I don't mind your father making a fool of himself in private, but this is Leo's 21st, everyone is going to be there, and the entire family is going to look ridiculous."

"Mum." She finally let out that sigh, "It's a party, I can't stop Dad from bringing his girlfriend." Her phone rang, "Hold on, that's Dad, I'll call you back." The last thing she heard from her mum was an exasperated 'oh!' before switching over to Dad, who, like her mum and Leo, spoke before she could get in a word.

"Martha? Now, tell your mother, Leo is my son, and I'm paying for _half _of that party. I'm entitled to bring who I like."

She did tell her mum that, but Francine Jones was some stubborn women. She wouldn't listen to Martha. On the other hand, she knew where her mother was coming from and that's what she told him, "I know, but think what it's going to look like for Mum, if you're standing there with Annalise."

"What's wrong with Annalise?" he protested.

Luckily Martha was saved by answering as said girl piped up in the background.

"Is that Martha?" Her high pitched voice made Martha wince. "Say hi. Hi, Martha, hi!"

"Hi, Annalise," she greeted back with mock cheeriness. Though she wouldn't say it to her face, she didn't really like Annalise. And who would like a woman who destroyed a perfectly good marriage between your parents?

"Big kiss, lots of love, see you at the party Babe." Her voice changed into a seductive tone as she said clearly to Martha's father, "Now, take me shopping, big boy."

Shaking her head, Martha closed her phone and just then, a man stepped in front of her.

"Like so!" he said, taking off his tie and waving it in front of her face. "See." And he walked off, brushing past her.

She looked after him, bemused, and when she turned around to leave, a short blonde woman stepped in front of her, looking clearly out of breathe.

"Hey, have you seen a man this tall?" She indicated how high, "With messy gravity defying hair and a blue pinstriped suit, and who's a little bit foxy?"

"Uh…" Martha didn't know what to say so she just pointed in the direction the man went and the blonde beamed at her.

"Thank you." She took off running in the direction she pointed at with Martha staring after her. Once the woman disappeared, she shook her head confused.

_'That was weird.'_ she thought to herself as she continued her way to the Royal Hope Hospital. Getting to her destination, someone pushed her aside before she could even think about going inside.

"Hey!" Martha glared at the man that had pushed her. He wore a black leather suit and a shiny, black motorcycle helmet. "Watch it, mate!"

However, the man just stared and a bad feeling came over her, causing the glare to fall from her face. Finally, he turned and went into the hospital. Martha hesitated on going inside but she had to because if she didn't, she would be late and that was last thing she needed; especially with what she would get from her boss, Mr. Stoker, if she were late.

So, she went inside and headed to her locker to put on a lab coat. She slipped it over her arms and went to close her locker when it suddenly shocked her. Martha jerked her hand away, looking down at it, confused. She didn't think about it much though as she went off to meet up with the other medical students. A few minutes later, she, the other medical students, and Mr. Stoker were standing beside a patient's bedside. Her name was Florence.

"I was all right this morning," she was telling them, "and then...I don't know, I woke up and I felt all dizzy again. It was worse than when I came in."

Mr. Stoker checked the pulse on her wrist. "Pulse is slightly thready. Well, let's see what Britain's finest might suggest. Any ideas, Morgenstern?"

"Dizziness can be a sign of early onset diabetes," Morgenstern answered.

"Hardly early," Mr. Stoker denied with an unimpressed frown that made Morgenstern wince. "If you'll forgive me, Miss Finnegan," he told the patient before looking back at Martha and the other medical students, "Any more ideas? Swales?"

Swales, who was one of the students that Martha talked to the most and could call a friend, spoke up, a little bit nervously. "Um…could recommend a CT scan?"

"And spend all our money." He gave a disappointed shake of the head and Swales blushed, "Jones?" He asked, looking over at Martha.

"We could take bloods and check for Meniere's disease," she suggested, but she got the same disappointed reaction. Did anything make this man happy? Or even smile?

"Or we could simply ask the patient." Mr. Stoker looked at Miss Finnegan, "What did you have for breakfast this morning?"

"I had salad."

"And the night before?"

"Salad again."

"And salad every night for the past week, contrary to my instructions," Stoker said. "Salt deficiency, that's what. Simple, honest, salt."

Leaving Miss Finnegan, Martha and the medical students followed Mr. Stoker across the lobby of the hospital while he spoke to them. "Hippocrates himself expounded on the virtues of salt. Recommended the inhalation of steam from sea water. Though, no doubt if he'd been afflicted with my students, results might have been rather more colorful."

As Martha walked through the halls, two of the men that had bumped into her earlier stepped out of the lift and she paused to look at them before she followed the students and Mr. Stoker into another ward. He pulled the curtains around one of the beds, revealing the man that had taken his tie off in front of her, but this time he was in pajamas. The woman who had been looking for him was nowhere in sight. Just like anyone else who would be in this situation, Martha was confused as to why he were here.

"Now, then, Mr. Smith," Mr. Stoker said, breaking Martha out of her confused thoughts. "A very good morning to you. How are you today?"

"Aw, not so bad, still a bit you know…" He stuck his tongue out as he said, "Blah."

"John Smith, admitted yesterday with severe abdominal pains," Mr. Stoker said.

He turned to Martha, but he was interrupted by the blonde woman, the same one who had been looking for Mr. Smith, coming up to them with a bright smile and two cups of coffee. At least that's what Martha thought.

"I got you coffee," she said to Mr. Smith, looking as if she hadn't seen the rest of them yet as she went up to his side and sat the two cups on the table beside his bedside.

"Carly-love, I said wanted a cup of tea." He pouted cutely as he looked up at her.

"I know, but they didn't have any. Only got coffee." She grinned and winked at him, "Which is so much better than tea."

He just pouted at her some more and she laughed, leaning down to kiss him quickly. She pulled back just as Mr. Stoker loudly cleared his throat and she looked up, startled, as if she had just seen them for the first time.

"Oh hello," she said with a slight blush, earning a stifled amused chuckle from Mr. Smith. "It's not funny, John. You could have told me they were there, you know."

"But where would the fun be in that, love?" he asked, grinning now.

"Oh." She huffed with fake annoyance. "Be quiet." She pulled up a nearby chair and settled down in it before taking a hold of John's hand, letting their fingers entwine, and his thumb brushed against the back of her hand as he continued to grin at her with love in his eyes. She looked up at Mr. Stoker, concerned, "Is something wrong with my husband?"

"No, nothing's wrong, Mrs. Smith," he told her. "These are medical students." He gestured to Martha and the others, "I'm just having one of them check him out, that's all."

"Okay, good." Carly, as Mr. Smith called her, sighed in relief as she squeezed Mr. Smith's hand. She didn't say anything so Mr. Stoker took the opportunity to speak up.

"Jones," he said, looking at Martha. "Why don't you see what you can find? Amaze me."

This was a perfect opportunity to find out what was going on.

"That wasn't very clever, running around outside, was it?" she said, but all she got was a confused look from Mr. Smith which stayed as he looked up at Carly, who shrugged, looking just as confused as he was.

"Sorry?"

"On Chancery Street this morning," Martha told him as she grabbed the stuff that she needed. But he still looked confused. "You came up to me and took your tie off."

"Really? What did I do that for?" Mr. Smith questioned.

"I don't know, you just did."

"Not me. I was here, in bed. Ask the nurses and the wife." He nodded to Carly.

"Yeah, he was here in bed," she said.

"But _you_ were out there too," Martha told her.

"I was?" She looked surprised.

"Yeah," Martha confirmed. "You were looking for him. Said he had messy gravity defying hair and a blue pinstriped suit."

"It couldn't have been me, I was here the whole time," Carly said.

Mr. Smith nodded, "She was."

"Well, that's weird." Martha had no other words to describe it as she stopped what she was doing to look at the two. "Cause they looked like both you. Have you got a brother?" She asked Mr. Smith then to Carly, "Sister?"

"No, no anymore. Just me."

"Same here."

Martha wanted to question them more, but Mr. Stoker sighed heavily before she could.

"As time passes and I grow ever more infirm and weary, Miss Jones."

"Sorry," she muttered. "Right." She put her stethoscope to Mr. Smith's chest, and looked even more puzzled as she put it on the other side of his chest and was surprised to find another heart beating. She looked at him and he winked, then Martha glanced at Carly, who was hiding a smile underneath her hand.

"I weep for further generations. Are you having trouble _locating_ the heart?"

"Um." Martha didn't want to say anything about the two hearts so she didn't. "I don't know. Stomach cramps?"

But Mr. Stoker shook his head at her. "That is a symptom, not a diagnostic. And you rather failed basic techniques by not consulting the patient's chart."

Martha winced as he picked up Mr. Smith's chart only to receive an electric shock and he dropped the chart immediately.

"That happened to me this morning," Martha said.

"I had the same thing on the door handle," added Morgenstern.

"And me, on the lift," squeaked Swales.

Martha looked at them, surprised. They got it too?

"That's only to be expected," Mr. Stoker said casually. "There's a thunderstorm moving in and lightning is a form of static electricity, as first was proven by – anyone?"

"Benjamin Franklin," Mr. Smith answered.

Mr. Stoker looked pleased. "Correct!"

"My mate, Ben, that was a day and half," Mr. Smith said brightly. He looked at his wife, "Remember Carly-love? I got rope burns off that kite."

"And you got soaked…" Carly said with a grin.

"Quite."

"…And then I got electrocuted." Mr. Smith grinned at them all.

"Moving on," Mr. Stoker quickly said, then he turned to a nearby nurse. "I think perhaps a visit from psychiatric." He spoke up louder as they walked away to see another patient. "And next we have—"

Martha didn't hear anything else after that as she looked back at Mr. Smith and Carly, who grinned in her direction before turning towards each other, talking quietly, leaving Martha wondering what they were talking _about_.

-0-

"No, listen, I've worked out a plan," Martha told Tish as she walked into the kitchenette where Swales was making a cup of coffee. She was on her lunch break now. "We tell Annalise that the buffet tonight is one hundred percent carbohydrate, and she won't turn up." She laughed.

"I wish you'd take this seriously. That's our inheritance she's spending; on a fake tan! Tell you what, I'm not that far away, I'll drop by for a sandwich and we can draw up a plan."

Martha looked out the window which she was now by. It was raining outside rather hard. "In this weather?" she asked her sister. "I'm not going out, it's pouring out there."

"It's not raining here." There was pause before she heard Tish again, "it's sitting right on top of you, I can see it, but it's dry where I am."

"Well, you just got lucky."

"No, but it's like in cartoons, you know, where the man's got a cloud over his head..."

Martha changed the subject, "But listen, I'll tell you what we'll do." She stopped at the sight of Mr. Smith, walking past in his dressing gown, holding hands with Carly as he peeked into the room, spoke a couple words to Carly, who nodded at what he was saying, before they continued on. Shaking her head, she went on to talk to Tish. "We tell Dad and Annalise to get there early, about 7:30, for Leo to do his birthday stuff. We tell Mum to come about 8:30 or nine, and that gives me time to talk to Annalise and—" She felt someone touch her arm and she looked back to see it was Swales, who was looking out the window. "What?"

"The rain."

"It's only rain."

"Martha!" She heard Tish say loudly over the phone, "Have you seen the rain?"

Martha couldn't help but roll her eyes. She had no idea what they were going on about.

"Why's everyone fussing about rain?" she asked.

"It's going up."

_What?_

"The rain is going up," Tish confirmed.

_What?_ Martha looked and sure enough, the rain was going up. She gaped at it, but before she had time to say anything, the entire building shook. Martha tumbled to the ground and so did Swales as did everything else from the counters and in the cupboards. The shaking stopped and Martha got to her feet.

"What in the hell was that?" she breathed out.

"Are you okay?" Swales asked concerned.

"I think so, yeah." She helped her friend to her feet. "It felt like a earthquake, or –"

"Martha?" She looked at Swales to see a wide eyed look on her face, "It's night. It was lunchtime."

"It's not night," Martha said slowly, starting her towards the window.

"It's got to be. It's dark."

Now at the window, she looked out of it and was shocked at what she saw, "We're on the moon."

"We can't be." Swales sounded hysterical now as she looked out the window as well.

"We're on the moon." Though she was shocked, Martha couldn't stop the excitement from building. "We're on the _bloody_ moon."

**TBC...**

**In...**

**Smith, Smith, and Jones, Part 2...**

**So? Martha's POV? What do you think? I rather liked writing in her POV and her POV only. At least I'm writing her now when I actually like her unlike if I was writing her when I watched her season for the first time. I only really started liking Martha until the end of season three. Like everyone else, I was broken over Rose so it was kind of hard to like someone who was replacing my favorite companion (well Donna's my fav companion now, still love Rose but Donna "Super Temp" Noble is _so_ much better). And it didn't help she had a crush on the Doctor either. **

**Also, who freaking loved that clip today from the Day of the Doctor for Children In Need? Those who saw it knows what I'm talking about ;) Here's two hints as to what my favorite part was...fezzes and David Tennant ;) **

******But anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you thought of the first part. Until next time on NBTS!**


	8. Smith, Smith, and Jones, Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 85 reviews! Keep the reviews coming! Get me up to 90 reviews for this chapter! Even higher if you can! ;)

Okay I know I said that this entire episode was going to be in Martha's POV, but about half-way through this part, I decided to go with the pov changes like I did for the Runaway Bride episode. I guess I just got bored writing in just one POV. I hope you don't mind. Like the Runaway Bride episode, a line repersents a pov change while this: '-0-' means its still in the same pov but it's switching the scene. Hope that makes sense.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

_2 more days until the Day of the Doctor for those seeing it on the 23rd and 4 days for those seeing it in the theaters on the 25th! ;)_

_Now BETAed by Yhoretta :)_

* * *

Martha pushed her way through the frantic crowd. Everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs, confused and scared at the same time. She was confused herself, but she kept a level head, especially if no one else would. She paused in her running to peer out a window and caught a glimpse of the earth slight above to the horizon. It was beautiful out of there.

But there was no time to marvel at the beauty of it.

Moving from the window and down the hall, she passed Miss Finnegan.

"Have you seen—" the woman began. 

Martha interrupted her, "I'm sorry, I can't." She ran past, missing the look on Miss Finnegan's face. The patients in the next ward were crying and screaming, holding onto one another for comfort and support. Martha tried to calm them down and assure them that getting back to bed was the best thing for now.

"All right," she said as calmly as she could over the crying and screaming. "Everyone back to bed, we've got an emergency but we'll sort it out." She didn't notice that Mr. and Mrs. Smith were watching her; the two shared a look before Mr. Smith pulled the curtain around his bed while Mrs. Smith stood in front, blocking the way. Even though she was there, Martha went over to the window, barely taking notice to the fact that Swales was behind her. "It's real. It's really real." Then she frowned. "Hold on!"

She reached for the window-latch, but the sound of Swales sobbing interrupted her. "Don't! We'll lose all the air!"

"But they're not exactly air-tight," Martha told her. "If the air was going to get sucked out, it should have happened straight away, but it didn't. So how come?"

"Good point, Miss Jones," a familiar voice said cheekily and Martha turned to see Mrs. Smith standing there with a smirk on her face. "Wouldn't you say so, love?"

At those words, Mr. Smith pulled aside the bed curtains, this time not wearing pyjamas, but the same blue pinstriped suit that Martha had seen on him in the street. "Yes, a very good point!" he said, nodding in agreement with what his wife said. "Brilliant, in fact. What was your name?"

"Martha," she answered.

"And it was Jones, wasn't it?" She nodded. "Well then, Martha Jones, the question is, how are we still breathing?"

"We can't be!" said Swales loudly.

Mr. Smith checked out the window and turned his head to Swales. "Obviously we are, so don't waste my time," he snapped.

"Sorry about him, he can be quite rude," Mrs. Smith apologized to Swales, patting her on the arm in comfort. "Don't take it too personally. I don't…well, most of the time." She smiled as Mr. Smith turned to Martha.

"Martha, what have we got?" he asked her. "Is there a balcony on this floor, or a veranda, or…?"

"By the patients, yeah."

"I love this part," Mrs. Smith said as her eyes sparked with excitement. "Going outside to investigate the mystery of the day." She grinned at Martha cheekily. "What do you say Miss Jones? Fancy going out?"

"Okay," she was quick to agree. I mean, come on, who wouldn't want to go outside when you were on the moon?

"We might die," Mr. Smith said seriously.

"We might not," Martha countered, causing a pleased expression to light up his face while Mrs. Smith beamed at her.

"Good! C'mon." He gestured to Swales, "Not her. She'd hold us up."

"Being rude again," Mrs. Smith muttered, nudging her husband in the side as they left Swales, who was now sobbing openly.

"Yep, that's me. Rude and not ginger." Mr. Smith grinned at her as she giggled in response. Martha couldn't help but smile at how cute they were. Entering the patient's lounge together, they headed over to the double doors. Mr. and Mrs. Smith pushed open the doors and they stepped outside onto the balcony.

"We've got air!" Martha breathed out. "How does that work?"

"Just be glad that it does."

"Yeah," Mrs. Smith said in agreement. "I would rather not suffocate, thank you very much." She gave a wink to Martha, who grinned, as they went over to the railings and with Mrs. Smith in the middle of Martha and her husband.

Martha looked out over the surface of the moon. It was just amazing. Then at that moment, she thought of her family and her heart sunk, realizing that if she didn't get out of this, she was going to miss her brother's 21st birthday.

"I've got a party tonight," she told Mr. and Mrs. Smith, not even knowing why she was bothering. But she felt as if she could trust the both of them. "It's my brother's twenty-first tonight. My mum's going to be really…" Her breath caught in her throat. "Really…"

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she said quickly.

"Sure?"

Martha nodded, "Yeah."

"Because if you're not, we can go back inside," Mrs. Smith offered.

"No way." Martha was quick to turn that idea down. "I mean, we could die at any minute, but all the same – it's beautiful."

"You think?" Mr. Smith asked with a smile.

"How many people want to go to the moon? And here we are!" It was all rather exciting despite the fact she had no clue why they were even here.

"Standing in the Earthlight." Mr. Smith shared a smile with his wife, taking a hold of her hand, curling their fingers together.

Martha bit her bottom lip as she looked at Mr. and Mrs. Smith. "What do you think happened?"

"Why don't you tell us what you think?" Mrs. Smith looked back at Martha.

She thought about it for a moment, "Extraterrestrial. It's got to be." She stared ahead but she could feel Mr. and Mrs. Smith's eyes on her. "I don't know, a few years ago that would have sounded mad, but these days?" She scoffed."That spaceship flying over Big Ben – Christmas – those Cybermen things." A sober mood came over her and she gave a sigh, still aware that the two other people there were still staring at her, but she didn't pay them any mind. "I had a cousin, Adeola. She worked at Canary Wharf. She never came home." 

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Smith apologized.

Martha didn't look at her as she nodded, saying slightly shakily, "Yeah."

"We were there. In the battle."

She glanced over at them to see Mr. Smith staring at Mrs. Smith with an apologetic look on his face. Martha didn't know what it was for, but Mrs. Smith squeezed her husband's hand with a soft smile, leaning into his side. He wrapped an arm around her to pull her close.

"I promise you, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, we will find a way out," Martha said as Mr. Smith stepped away from the railing.

"It's not Smith, that's not our real names," he said.

Martha looked to him, confused. "Who are you two, then?"

"I'm Charlene Tyler," Mrs. Smith was the first one to reply.

"So you two aren't married?" If they weren't, they sure acted as if they were.

"Nope, not married, we are together though."

Martha opened her mouth to say something when Mr. Smith or whoever he was spoke up, answering her question.

"I'm the Doctor."

"Me too, if I ever pass my exams. What is it then, Doctor Smith?"

"Just the Doctor."

Martha looked at him in disbelief. "How do you mean, just the Doctor?"

"As he said, just the Doctor," Charlene said.

"What, people call him, 'The Doctor." Now it was her turn to look at Charlene in disbelief.

"Yeah, basically." The small blonde shrugged.

"Well, I'm not," Martha said stubbornly. "As far as I'm concerned, you've got to earn that title."

"Well, I'd better make a start then. Let's have a look." Mr. Smith picked up this rock and threw it out over the balcony, but instead of falling to the ground, the rock ended up flying back towards Martha, Mrs. Smith and Charlene, landing on the ground in front of Mr. Smith.

"So, it looks like there's a forcefield and it's keeping the air in," Charlene said, picking up the rock and examining it. She then mused as she tossed the rock in the air multiple times, but it sounded as if it was mostly to herself, "we should have a figured that out soon. When you think about it, it's kind of obvious."

Martha realized something and she said slowly, "If that's like a bubble sealing us in, that means this is the only air we got."

Charlene nodded, "Looks like it."

"What happens when it runs out?" she asked Charlene and she was about to respond when Mr. Smith spoke up.

"How many people in the hospital?" he asked.

"I don't know, a thousand?" Martha watched as Mr. Smith's jaw clenching and a slightly dark look appeared on his face.

"One thousand people," he said through gritted teeth. "Suffocating."

Martha's eyes widened as a horrified expression appeared on her face. "Why would anyone do that?"

Her question was answered by the sound of roaring of engines above them.

"Heads up!" the Doctor said. "Why don't you ask them yourselves?"

Martha was amazed at how large those spaceships were. They were huge and looked exactly what she thought a spaceship would look like. The things landed on the surface of the moon and aliens that looked like large Rhinos started marching towards the hospital.

"Aliens," Martha said, amazed. "That's aliens. Real, proper aliens."

Mr. Smith and Charlene shared a look. "Judoon," they said together in perfect unison.

-0-

A little while later, Martha found herself crouched down on the left side of Charlene, watching the aliens that they called 'Judoon,' as they seemed to be checking for something with the people there. She wondered what they were doing, but had a feeling that she would find out sooner or later.

"Oh, look down there," Mr. Smith said brightly in a quiet voice. "You've got a shop. I like a little shop."

Martha rolled her eyes while Charlene grinned, holding back laughter, as she patted him on the shoulder.

"You and your little shops," she teased, earning a wink in response as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Martha rolled her eyes again. "Never mind that!" she said causing the couple to look over at her. "What are Judoon?"

"Galactic police," Mr. Smith answered, eyes now back on the Judoon with his arm still wrapped around Charlene. "Well, police for hire. More like interplanetary thugs."

"And they brought us to the moon?" Martha raised a brow.

"Its neutral territory," Charlene told her. "Galactic law clearly states that they have no jurisdiction on the Earth so they isolated us from there. You know how it's been raining today when the news said that it was going to bright and sunny? It's because of the Judoon, they're doing it … using a H20 scope if I remember correctly."

"Where's that about 'galactic law'?" Martha asked, amused. "Where'd you get that from?"

"A book," Charlene said so bluntly that she couldn't help but blink at the blonde in surprise.

Martha decided to ignore it as she didn't know what to say. "So, if they're police, are we under arrest? Are we trespassing on the moon or something?" The last thing was asked as a joke, but Mr. Smith clearly didn't see it as he looked at her impressed.

"No, but I like that. Good thinking." Mr. Smith frowned, "No, but it's more simple. They're making a catalogue; it means they're after something none-human, which is very bad news for us."

"Why?" They simply just looked at her and she was able to figure it out, "Oh, you're kidding me." Martha didn't miss the disbelief in her tone of voice as Mr. Smith raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't be ridiculous." He just continued to stare at her and it was quickly freaking her out. "Stop looking at me like that." 

Charlene giggled.

"Come on then." Mr. Smith grabbed a hold of Charlene's hand as they left the hiding spot with Martha moving along behind them, wondering just who in the hell were these people.

'_Oh, how I hate computers,_' Charlene thought grumpily to herself as she examined the back of the monitor while the Doctor did the front. Something was wrong with the computer but neither her or the Doctor could figure out what. Even with both of them using a sonic screwdriver. The Doctor had given her a sonic, something that Charlene was ecstatic about especially at the fact that hers was purple at the end. This regeneration loved the color purple apparently.

Charlene sighed as she got up off of her knees from behind the computer to see how the Doctor was doing and she stood beside him."Have you figured out what's wrong with it?"

"Not yet," the Doctor answered her distractedly, eyebrows furrowed as he focused on his task. Charlene giggled silently to herself. He looked so cute when he was focusing really hard on something. She opened her mouth to speak to him but was interrupted by Martha Jones coming into the room.

"They've reached the first floor," she announced.

Charlene turned to look at her. To be honest, she didn't know what to think about Martha Jones. She liked her well enough, but she couldn't help but feel that something was going to happen that would make them dislike eachother. She felt as if she should know what that thing was, but she put that in the back of her mind as one of the many things that weren't important if she couldn't remember it.

"What's that thing?" Martha asked as she pointed to the Doctor's sonic.

"Sonic screwdriver."

"Well, if you're not going to answer me properly!"

"That's what it's really called," Charlene said. "It's a screwdriver and it's sonic. I have one too." She waved hers in the air.

"What else have you got? A laser spanner?" Martha said sarcastically.

"I did, but it was stolen by Emily Pankhurst, cheeky woman." The Doctor smacked the computer hard in frustration. "Oh, come on!" 

Charlene rubbed his back and the Doctor relaxed and leaned into her touch.

"The Judoon must have locked the computer down," the Doctor said, looking and sounding calmer. Charlene stopped rubbing his back, but let her hands rest on his shoulders as he ran a hand through his hair, making it messier than before. "Judoon platoon upon the moon. Cause we were just traveling past, I swear, just wandering, we weren't looking for trouble."

"Hate to break it to you, love, but trouble always finds us," Charlene teased, squeezing his shoulders. "Even when we're not looking for it. Why do you think I love traveling with you?"

"Oh and here I thought you loved traveling with me because I'm brilliant," the Doctor teased back, leaning back to look up at her.

"Nope, I'm only here for the trouble. Nothing more, nothing less." Charlene gave him a wink and the Doctor opened his mouth to speak but the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted him. It came from Martha, who looked at them awkwardly.

While an embarrassed look appeared on the Doctor's face, Charlene blushed. "Err, sorry," she apologized, rubbing the back of her head.

The Doctor cleared his throat, "Er – where was I?"

"That you two weren't looking for trouble," Martha reminded.

"Right, yes! We weren't looking for trouble, but we … well I mostly because like I said, I'm brilliant." Charlene smacked him lightly on the shoulder as she shook her head and the Doctor continued on, "But that's beside the point… we noticed these plasma coils around the hospital, that lighting, that's plasma coils, been building up for two days now, so I checked in, I thought something was going on inside, it turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon above."

"But what were they looking for?"

"Something that looks human, but isn't," the Doctor replied as he resumed his work on the computer with the sonic.

"Like you two. _Apparently_."

"Exactly, but not us," Charlene said to Martha, deciding to follow her boyfriend's example. As she bent down behind the computer, she added seriously, "We wouldn't do something to get the police on our backs… at least we try not to."

"Well, haven't they got a photo?"

"Might be a shape changer."

"Whatever it is, can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?"

"Nope, bad idea." Charlene shook her head, her blonde hair flicking with the motion. "Because if they declare the hospital guilty of harbouring a fugitive… let's just say that the Judoon won't hesitate on killing every single person in this hospital."

Martha's eyes widened in horror at this, "No. Can't you two stop it?"

"Oh yes. If I can find this thing first … Oh!" Martha jumped at the Doctor's sudden exclamation, especially when he smacked the computer hard as Charlene quickly moved to the front to see what was wrong. "Just that they're thick! Judoon are thick! They wiped the records. Oh, that's clever." He ran a hand through his hair again.

"What are we looking for?"

"I don't know." The Doctor sighed. "Any patient admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms."

"I'm sure they have backup here somewhere," Charlene said . "If we can't find something on the computer, we can always ask." She looked up at Martha, "Do you know anyone who might know?"

"I'll ask Mr. Stoker," Martha answered. "He might know."

"Alright, go. We keep working here."

Martha nodded and hurried out of the office, leaving Charlene and the Doctor alone.

Martha ran down the hall where Mr. Stocker's office was at and she knocked on the door. She waited for an answer, but nothing came causing her to frown.

"Mr. Stoker!" she called, thinking she would get an answer this way. But this didn't work either.

Martha decided on just going on inside so she went inside and called her boss's name again.

"Mr. Stoker!"

It was then she noticed feet sticking out behind Mr. Stoker's desk. Feet she saw all day. Her eyes widened as they took notice to the two motorcycle men and she froze as she watched Florence Finnegan raised from behind the desk with a straw in her hand. Quickly snapping out of it, Martha ran, hearing Finnegan shout,

"Kill her!"

She ran as fast she could, almost bumping into Charlene and the Doctor as they met up with her.

"I've restored the backup," the Doctor said quickly.

Charlene was the one who saw the horrified look on Martha's face, "What's wrong?"

"I found her," Martha panted out.

"You what?" The Doctor blinked.

It was then that the motorcycle men came in, running.

"Run!" The Doctor took Charlene's hand and Charlene took hers and they took off running.

They ran up the stairs. Martha didn't bother looking behind her to see if those men were following them because she knew that they were. They ran all the way to the fourth only to see that the Judoon were heading up the opposite stairs. Luckily there was doorway there where she, the Doctor, and Charlene were at so they ducked through it before the Judoon could even see them.

Eventually they made it to the radiology room and the Doctor closed the door quickly just as one of the men that were chasing them made an appearance.

Martha went over to this computer along with Charlene while the Doctor went to the machine that was in the room.

"When I say, 'now,' press the button," he ordered, nodding towards Martha. Then to Charlene, he said, "Same goes for the door."

"Got it." Charlene nodded, running over to the door.

"I don't know which one!" Martha exclaimed frantically, the situation starting to get to her slightly.

"Find out!" The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on the machine as Martha took a deep breath, going over to the Operator's Manuel and opened it up.

"Now Charlene!"

The blonde opened the door and the man ran in just as Martha found the button to press in the manual.

"Now Martha!" The Doctor shouted.

She pressed the button and watched as the Doctor zapped the man with radiation, his skeleton showing. It wasn't that much longer until the man collapsed.

"What did you do?" Martha asked curiously, staying where she was, while Charlene went over to the Doctor, bending down next to him.

"Increased the radiation by five thousand percent. Killed him dead."

The doctor part of her couldn't help but be concerned. "Isn't that gonna to kill you?"

"Nah, it's only roentgen radiation." The Doctor shrugged as if it were no big deal. "We used to play with roentgen bricks in the nursery."

"I remember that!" Charlene said brightly. "I used to do the same thing. Daddy used to toss them to me like a ball." Suddenly, her eyes gazed over in sadness.

"Carly?" The Doctor said her name concerned, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, thumb brushing her cheek in the process.

Martha watched, wondering what was wrong.

But Charlene seemed to snap out of it as the Doctor brushed her cheek. "I'm alright," she said quickly, grabbing onto the Doctor's hand, squeezing it in reassurance as he gave her a look of disbelief. "Really, love. I'm fine."

The Doctor gave in and nodded before looking up at Martha. "It's safe for you to come out, I've absorbed it all."

Martha did as he said and went over to him and Charlene.

"All I need to do is expel it." The Doctor started to bounce up and down. Martha stared him as if he was mad. You would be too if you were seeing what she was seeing.

But Charlene laughed, looking happier now as she watched him.

"If I concentrate I can shake the radiation out of my body and into one spot. It's in my left shoe. Here we go…here we go, easy does it." He shook his left foot frantically while still hopping and bouncing. "Out, out, out, out, out. Out, out, ah, ah, ah, ah. It is, it is, it is, it is, it is hot. Ah – hold on." He grabbed his left foot and took off his shoe throwing it in nearby dustbin and he grinned once he stopped hopping. "Done."

"You are_ completely _mad," Martha breathed out.

"Completely." Charlene smirked as she gave another laugh.

"Right. I look daft with one shoe." The Doctor removed his other shoe and threw it in the dustbin as well, still grinning. "Barefoot on the moon." He wriggled his toes.

"Is he always like this?" Martha couldn't help but ask Charlene quietly.

"Oh, you have no idea." The blonde rolled her eyes, but with an affectionate smile on her lips.

Martha went over to the man. "What is that thing?" she asked. "And where's it from? The planet Zovirax?"

"It's just a Slab. They're called 'Slabs'. Basic slave drones, see?" The Doctor hit the Slab on the leg. "Solid leather, all the way through. Someone has got one hell of a fetish."

"It came with that woman, Mrs. Finnegan," Martha told the Doctor and Charlene. "It was working for her. Just like a servant."

Charlene was listening while the Doctor took out what reminded of his sonic screwdriver out of the x-ray machine.

"My sonic screwdriver."

But Martha ignored that as she continued, "She was one of the patients, but—"

"My sonic screwdriver!"

"She had a straw like some kind of vampire."

"I loved my sonic screwdriver!"

"Doctor!" Martha exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Sorry." The Doctor tossed the tool away and grinned at her dopily. "You called me Doctor."

That's what he got out of that Martha thought to herself before saying out loud, "Anyway! Mrs. Finnegan is an alien. She was drinking Mr. Stocker's blood."

"Great time to take a snack," Charlene said sarcastically.

"More like a funny time to take a snack." The Doctor frowned, "You would think she'd be hiding. Unless – no. Yes, that's it, wait a minute." He got a thinking expression on his face then seconds later, he grinned, "Yes! Shape-changer. Internal shape-changer. She wasn't drinking blood, she was _assimilating_ it."

**TBC...**

**In...**

**The Last Part of Smith, Smith, and Jones...**

**I decided to end it here because I didn't want to end it the way I ended the second part of the When You Believe version of this episode. Also if you didn't know already, I have these two one-shots set in the Charlene, Charlene Who series. The first one being the missing scene from the Christmas Invaion episode and the second one was a AU about the ending of Doomsday like what if Charlene did get stuck in the parallel universe...I would love for you to review of these stories, but the one with Charlene getting stuck in Pete's World, I can understand why you wouldn't want to read that one. It's really sad.**

**Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you thought of the second part of Smith, Smith, and Jones!**

**And...**

**P.S. I've been planning future episodes. You are gonna love what I'm planning. Just you wait ;)**


	9. Smith, Smith, and Jones, Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 96 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

_1 more days until the Day of the Doctor for those seeing it on the 23rd and 3 days for those seeing it in the theaters on the 25th! ;)_

_BETAed by __Yhoretta (this is the last chapter she's BETAing just to let you know because of certain things)_

* * *

"If she can assimilate Mr. Stoker's blood, mimic the morphology, she can register as human," the Doctor told the two girls. "We've got to find her and show the Judoon. Come on!" He took a hold of Charlene's hand and ran out of radiation room with Martha at their tail.

Seeing another Slab running down the hallway, the Doctor quickly ushered Charlene and Martha behind a water cooler just as the Slab walked past them. Charlene breathed out a sigh of relief,

"That was a close one," she said quietly. "Why do Slabs have to travel in pairs? It would be a lot easier if they didn't."

"What about you two?" Martha questioned and the Doctor glanced over at her.

"What about us what?"

"Besides the two of you, do you have any backup?"

The Doctor hadn't expected this question, so he stumbled for words. Luckily Charlene took over.

"We had people travel with us before, but not anymore," she told Martha softly. "My sister… Rose…" She took a deep breath, "She used to travel with us…until she … well…" She paused, biting her bottom lip.

The Doctor felt guilt grip him. He still blamed himself for what happened with Rose. He didn't tell Char this of course, knowing that she'd disagree with him about it being his fault. But it was. He could have saved Rose and Jackie, but he failed. Failed Charlene in protecting her family. The Doctor shook out of it. Now wasn't the time to feel guilty… He changed the subject.

"Humans." He scoffed, "We're stuck on the moon, running out of air, with Judoon and a blood sucking criminal, and you're asking personal questions. Come on." He moved out of the hiding spot, holding onto Charlene's hand.

"I like that, 'humans,'" Martha said under her breath behind them. "I'm still not convinced you two are aliens."

Unfortunately for them, they stepped in front of a Judoon and the Doctor and Charlene froze as he shined his blue light in both their faces.

"Non-humans," the Judoon stated.

"Oh my God, you two really are!" squeaked Martha.

"Told ya!" Charlene exclaimed as she was the first one to take off, dragging the Doctor behind her while he grabbed onto Martha's hand so she would follow.

The Judoon shot at them as they ran as fast as they could. Charlene managed to get them up the stairs to a door which she locked and they emerged into a corridor where people were falling to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Oh man," Charlene breathed out, tightening her grip on the Doctor's hand.

"They're done this floor," the Doctor said as they started to walk by. "Come on. The Judoon are logical and bit thick. They won't go back to check a floor they've already checked. If we're lucky."

Martha wasn't by them anymore as she was over by Swales, who was giving air to the patient she was bent down in front of. "How much oxygen is there?" she asked.

"Not enough for all these people," Swales admitted sadly. "We're gonna run out."

"What about you, Martha?" Charlene went over to the two women. "How are you feeling?"

She grinned. "I'm running on adrenaline."

Charlene grinned back at her, "Great feeling, isn't it?"

Martha nodded in agreement while still grinning.

"Welcome to our world," The Doctor commented, smiling at the two.

"What about the Judoon?"

"I wouldn't worry, Martha," Charlene told her.

The Doctor nodded, "Yeah, great big lung reserves, it won't slow them down." He then went back to what they were here for, "Where's Mr. Stoker's office?"

Martha stood up, "This way."

The Doctor and Charlene followed her. It wasn't long until they made it there and they entered the office, but there was no one there except for the dead body of Mr. Stoker.

"She's gone!" Martha said as the Doctor went over to Mr. Stocker. "She was here."

Once he was done examining Mr. Stoker, the Doctor looked up at Charlene and Martha. "Drained him dry. Every last drop. I was right. She's a Plasmavore."

"What was she doing on Earth?"

"On the run, obviously," Charlene said.

"Yeah. Like Ronald Briggs in Rio de Janeiro."

"But where did she go? I mean, she's still not safe."

The Doctor frowned, "I don't know. But wherever she is, the Judoon could execute us all. Come on." He went to the door with Charlene.

"Wait a minute!"

The Doctor turned to Martha, seeing that she was crouched beside Mr. Stoker. She closed his eyes before she got to her feet and went up to them. The Doctor stared at her for a minute before heading out the door with Martha and Charlene behind him. He headed down the hall, his brain going into overdrive, trying to think.

"Think, think, think," he muttered, pacing. "If I were a Plasmavore surrounded by police, what would I do?" They were now by a ER sign and the Doctor noticed it, realizing… "Aah. She's as clever as me." Running a hand through his hair, he added, "Almost."

Then came a Judoon's voice, "Find the non-humans. Execute."

The Doctor quickly turned to Martha. "Stay here," he ordered. "I need time. You're going to have to hold them up."

"How do I do that?"

"Charlene, forgive me for this," the Doctor told the blonde nervously, who looked confused. "It's to save a thousand lives, it means nothing." Then to Martha, "Honestly, nothing." With that, he took Martha's face in his hands and kissed her deeply. He didn't have to look back to know Charlene's mouth had dropped. The Doctor broke the kiss and took off running, grabbing onto a still gaping Charlene's hand.

He took Charlene into a empty hallway where a supply closet was and pushed her up against the door, fusing their lips together in a passionate kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body close to him.

Charlene gasped in surprise but that didn't last long as she returned the kiss just as passionately as he was, wrapping her arms around his neck. The kiss didn't last as long as the Doctor would have liked though. He pulled away from her lips and he almost smirked at the dazed expression on her face. Since she was out of it, he pulled open the supply door and pushed Charlene gently inside.

"Stay in here," The Doctor ordered. "I'll deal with Mrs. Finnegan."

This snapped her out of her daze. "What?" She shook her head. "No, I'm going with you."

"You'll be safer here," he said sternly, placing his hands on Charlene's shoulder. "Just listen to me just this once. Please."

Charlene gave him an exasperated look, but that didn't last long as she sighed. "Alright, fine. I'll stay here."

The Doctor looked at her thankfully, "Thank you."

Charlene nodded before she quickly kissed him again. "Go," she said once she broke the kiss, pushing him on the chest gently. "Be careful."

"Always am, love." The Doctor kissed her on the forehead before closing the doors.

He went into the MRI room where the machine was making strange noises and a woman, who he guessed was Florence Finnegan, was working on the controls. When the Doctor spoke, he acted as if he was freaking out.

"Have you seen – there are these things, those great big space rhino things, I mean rhinos from space," he babbled, moving his arms to emphasis his point. "And we're on the moon. Great big space rhinos with guns on the moon, and I only came in for my bunions, look." He showed Finnegan his bare feet, holding one of them up by his hand before setting them back down. "They're all right now, good treatment, I said to my lovely wife, I'd recommend this place to anyone, but then we end up on the moon...and did I mention the rhinos?"

Mrs. Finnegan didn't even turn to him as she ordered the Slab, "Hold him!"

It did as she ordered and grabbed the Doctor, putting his arms behind his back, roughly.

The Doctor grinned to himself boastfully.

* * *

Charlene tried to stay in the closet, really she did, but she couldn't. She couldn't let the Doctor do this by himself. All that was going through her mind was: _Protect the Doctor, protect the Doctor, protect the Doctor…_

It was mostly that thought that made Charlene move out of the closet and in the direction of the MRI room. The door was open wide enough for her to peer inside and see what was going on without being seen herself. Charlene saw the Doctor being held down by a Slab and that the MRI machine was making these weird sounds as a woman, who she guessed was Florence, stood in front of it.

"That thing, that big machine thing, is it supposed to be making that sound?" the Doctor asked, obviously pretending to be clueless.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Isn't that a magnetic resonance imaging thing? Like a ginormous sort of magnet? I did magnets at GCSE. Well, I failed, but all the same."

"The magnetic setting is now set to 50, 000 Telsa."

"Ooh. That's a bit strong… isn't it?"

Charlene almost laughed. It was amusing to see him pretend not to know anything.

"I can send out a magnetic pulse that will fry the brain-stems of every living thing within 20, 000 miles. Except me, safe in this room."

"But… hold on, hold on, I did geography for GCSE, I did pass that one, doesn't that distance include Earth?"

"Only the side facing the moon. The other half will survive." Florence smirked, "Call it my little gift."

Charlene couldn't help but glare to herself. _'What a bitch…'_

"I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive me, I'm a little out of my depth. I've spent the past fifteen years as a postman, hence the bunions – why would you do that?"

"With everyone dead, the Judoon ships will be mine, to make my escape."

"Now, that's weird." The Doctor pulled a face, "You're talking like you're some sort of alien."

"Right-o."

"No!" The Doctor pretended to gape at her, shocked.

"Oh, yes."

"You're joshing me."

"I am not."

"I'm talking to an alien? In a hospital? What, has the place got an ET department?"

"It's the perfect hiding place." Florence began to walk around, smirking. "Blood banks downstairs for a midnight feast, and all this equipment I'm ready to arm myself with should the police come looking."

"So, those rhinos, they're looking for you."

"Yes. But I'm _hidden_."

"Oh. Right! Maybe that's why they're increasing their scans."

Florence stopped abruptly in place, "They're doing what?"

_'Nice thinking, Doctor." _Charlene was impressed as she grinned to herself._ 'I knew there was a reason why I'm with this wonderful man.'_

"Big chief rhino boy, he said, no sign of a non-human, we must increase our scans…up to setting two?"

"Then I must assimilate again."

"What does that mean?"

"I must appear human."

"Well, you're welcome to come home and meet the wife. She'd be honored. We can have cake." The Doctor smiled charmingly.

"Why should I have cake? I've got my little straw." Florence pulled out a straw with a smirk.

"That's nice. Milkshake? I like banana."

"You're quite the funny man. And yet, I think, laughing on purpose at the darkness. Steady him!"

Charlene forced herself not to cry out as the Slab roughly shoved the Doctor to his knees and moved his head down the same way so Florence could have better access to his neck as she approached him.

"What are you doing?" the Doctor asked as she wiped the part of his neck that she was going to drink from.

"I'm afraid this is going to hurt," she said. "But if it's any consolation, the dead don't tend to remember."

Before she could plunge the straw into the Doctor's neck, Charlene burst through the door without thinking, crying out,

"Stop!"

She then froze, realizing what she did, and she gulped.

"Oh hello," Florence said, pleasantly, moving away from the Doctor, who was looking at her, wide-eyed. "Looks like we have a volunteer."

Charlene hesitated, glancing at the Doctor, who seemed to know what she was thinking.

"Don't you dare, Charlene," he told her through gritted teeth.

She closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them again and she nodded at Florence, "Yes, yes you do." She slowly walked towards Florence as the Doctor began to struggle in the Slab's grip, but it wasn't much use. However, it didn't stop him from struggling.

"Leave her alone!" he shouted. "Just use me!"

Charlene was already in front of Florence and moved the hair away from her neck.

"CHARLENE, DON'T!"

It was too late. Florence had plunged the straw into Charlene's neck.

* * *

The Doctor, by now, had stopped struggling and was watching helplessly as Finnegan drank from Charlene's neck. What had she'd been thinking? She hadn't been. The Doctor was handling it, just like he said he would when he told her to stay in the supply closet. He should have known that Charlene wouldn't have listened to him. She was stubborn. That was another thing that hadn't changed about her, but what did was the fact that Charlene didn't think before bursting in here. The _old_ Charlene would have thought about it. What she did was something that the Doctor would have done. The sound of Charlene falling to the ground snapped the Doctor out of his thoughts.

He glared heatedly at Florence, but before he could release his anger on the woman, the Judoon burst into the room. The Doctor would have tried to hide his face, but the Judoon weren't paying attention to him luckily.

"Now see what you've done," she said to the Judoon, gesturing to Charlene. "This poor girl died of fright."

"Scan her!" The Chief Judoon barked at one of the other ones. Once that Judoon did just that, he said, "Confirmation: deceased."

"No, she can't be." Came Martha's voice and the Doctor saw her trying to push her way through the Judoon. "Let me through, let me see her." She was able to get through, but the Chief Judoon stopped her from going further.

"Stop," he said as Martha's eyes met the Doctor's, who gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile and she gave a nod, but still looked horrified as she looked at Charlene. "Case closed."

"But it was her," Martha pointed at Florence harshly. "She killed her. She did it. She murdered him."

"The Judoon have no authority over human crime."

"But she's not _human_," Martha protested.

"Oh, but I am," Florence said before showing off the 'x' on the back of one of her hands. "I've been catalogued."

"But she's not! She assimil –" The Doctor grinned to himself as Martha figured it out, "Wait a minute. You drank her blood. She drank Charlene's blood." She grabbed a scanner from nearby Judoon and started to scan Florence, who didn't look bothered by this.

"Oh, all right," she relented. "Scan all you like."

"Non-human."

Florence was taken aback by the Judoon and the Doctor smirked. "What?"

"Confirm analysis," The Chief said to the Judoon he spoke to previously.

Florence tried to brush it off, "Oh, but it's a mistake surely. I'm human. I'm as human as they come."

"She gave her life so they'd find you," Martha said, looking down at Charlene sadly. The Doctor remembered then that she didn't know that Char had two hearts as well so she thought she _was_ dead.

"Confirmed: Plasmavore," the Chief finally stated. "I charge you with the crime of murdering the princess of Patrival Regency Nine."

Knowing it was no use trying to deny it, Florence sneered. "She deserved it! Those pink cheeks and those blonde curls and that simpering voice. She was begging for the bite of a Plasmavore."

"Do you confess?"

The Doctor couldn't help but roll his eyes. See? What did he tell you? The Judoon were a bit thick.

"Confess?" Florence asked, scoffing. "I'm proud of it! Slab – stop them!"

Finally the Slab let go of the Doctor and he threw himself over to Charlene as the Slab shot at the Judoon.

But the Judoon shot right back. The difference was, the Judoon actually hit their target and the Slab disintegrated. They got ready to shoot at Florence, who had ran into the room where the machine was and stood behind the window that was there.

"Verdict: guilty," the Chief said. "Sentence: execution."

Florence hooked something into MRI machine and the warning sign flashed with the words:

_MAGNETIC OVERLOAD…_

The Doctor knew what she did. She did exactly what she said she would.

Florence whirled around to face the Judoon, grinning much too happily. "Enjoy your victory Judoon, because you're going to burn with me. Burn in hell!" She screamed as the Judoon shot through the glass, breaking it and hitting her right on the spot, and she disintegrated right there.

The Doctor would have tried to get to the machine, but he didn't want to bring attention to himself so he stayed right where he was with his hand on Charlene's cheek as he stared down at her.

"What did she mean, 'burn with me?'" Martha questioned, looking up at the Chief Judoon. She looked towards the MRI machine worriedly, "That scanner shouldn't be doing that. She's done something."

The Chief scanned the machine, "Scans detect lethal acceleration of mono-magnetic pulse."

"Well, do something!" Martha exclaimed. "Stop it!"

"Our jurisdiction has ended. Judoon will evacuate."

"You can't just leave it. What's it going to do?"

The Chief ignored her as he spoke into the intercom on his wrist. "All units withdraw." He and the rest of the Judoon stomped away and Martha raced after them.

Using this time, the Doctor leaped to his feet and hurried over to the machine, being careful not to get shocked by it, as Martha ran back in.

"Martha!" he shouted at her. "Try waking Charlene up!"

"But she's dead," Martha said from where she was next to Charlene, checking her pulse.

"She has two hearts, Martha!"

"Got it!"

Finally the Doctor was able to unhook the machine and quickly went over to Martha and Charlene, who finally woke up and started coughing. Martha tumbled to the ground as she was starting to lose air.

Charlene staggered to her feet, almost falling, but she caught herself as the Doctor scooped a now unconscious Martha into his arms.

"Come on," he said to Charlene while starting to leave the room. The blonde managed to follow him.

Minutes later, they were walking down a corridor where patients and doctors alike were either weak or unconscious due to the lack of oxygen. They got to a hospital ward and went over to the window that was there and the Judoon ships.

"Come on, come on, come on," the Doctor mumbled to himself as Charlene was still trying to regain her breath while leaning against the window. "Come on, Judoon, reverse it." And when it started to rain, he smiled, "It's raining, Martha, Charlene."

Charlene turned to look out the window as well, watching the rain.

"It's raining on the moon."

It was then that there was a flash of white light and they disappeared out of sight.

* * *

Martha was now in her bedroom, getting ready for her brother's party. As she applied mascara, she thought about what happened today. She still couldn't believe it happened, but she knew that it did. It was just so unbelievable. The radio was playing as she did her make-up.

"Eye witness reports from the Royal Hope Hospital continue to pour in, and it all seems to be a remarkably consistent. This from medical student Oliver Morgenstern."

"I was there. I saw it happen. And I feel uniquely privilege." Martha leaned back against her chair, listening, "I looked out at the surface of the moon. I saw the Earth, suspended in space, and all of it proves Mr. _Saxon_ right. We're not alone in the universe. There's life out there: wild and extraordinary life."

Martha smiled, but she didn't smile for a while after that. All because of a certain woman.

"I am not prepared to be insulted!" Annalise shouted as she stormed out of the club that they were having Leo Joneses birthday at with Martha and her family following.

"She didn't mean it, sweetheart," Clive, Martha's father, tried to calm her down. "She just said you looked healthy."

"No, I did not." Francine snapped, folding her arms. "I said orange."

Annalise glared at Francine. "Clive, that woman is disrespecting me," she whined as she looked at Clive. "She's never liked me."

"Oh, I can't think why, after you stole my husband." She glared right back at the younger woman, who looked insulted.

"I was seduced. I'm entirely innocent! Tell her, Clive!"

"And then she has a go at Martha, practically accusing her of making the whole thing up."

Martha decided to speak. "Mum, I don't mind," she said weakly. "Just leave it."

"Oh. "I've been to the moon!" As if." Annalise sneered. "They were drugged. It said so on the news."

It was Francine's turn to sneer. "Since when did you watch the news? You can't handle 'Quiz Mania.'"

Annalise gasped.

"Annalise started it," Tish said to Martha, nodding her head. "She did it. I heard her."

Leo rolled his eyes." Tish, don't make it worse."

"You're talking, Leo. What did she buy you, soap? A seventy-five pence soap?"

"Oh, I'm never talking to your family again!" Annalise stormed off and Martha had to force herself not to groan out loud as her family started talking over one another.

"Oh, stay. Have a_ night out_."

"Don't you dare. I'm putting my foot down. This is me, putting my foot down." Clive rushed after Annalise.

"Dad!" Leo exclaimed, following.

"Make a fool of yourself! God knows, you've been doing it for the last twenty-five years! Why stop now?" Francine stormed off in the other direction with Tish following, shouting after her,

"Mum, don't! I asked the DJ and he's playing that's song later—"

Now Martha was alone and she finally let out that groan, a distressed look on her face. From the corner of her eye, she saw the Doctor standing on the corner, looking at her. Martha's face flushed in embarrassment. How much of that did he see?

The Doctor smiled at her while giving her a 'follow me' look. He disappeared. Curious, Martha headed in that direction.

* * *

Charlene leaned against the TARDIS beside the Doctor and she grinned when she saw Martha turning the corner.

"Hello there, Martha Jones," she greeted, but Martha was looking at the Doctor, turning her grin into a frown, not liking the way she was looking at him.

"I went to the moon today," she said.

"A bit more peaceful than down here," the Doctor joked.

"You never told me who you two were."

"I'm the Doctor and this is Charlene."

"I know, but what species? It's not every day that I get to ask that."

"We're Time Lords."

Martha smiled as she walked closer to them. "Right! Not pompous at all then."

Deciding to brush away the way she felt about the way Martha was looking at the Doctor, Charlene spoke. "So, the reason why we're here is because we, well I thought, you might want to come with us for a trip. You did save my life after all."

"And I've got a new sonic screwdriver which needs road testing," the Doctor added, pulling out.

"This trip … do you mean into space?" Martha questioned.

Charlene nodded.

"I can't. I've got exams. I've things to do. I have to go into town first thing tomorrow and pay the rent, I've got my family going mad…"

"Would it help if we said that it travels in time too?" Charlene couldn't help but smirk at the expression on Martha's face.

"Get out of here."

"We can," the Doctor told her.

Martha still didn't believe them. "Come on now, that's going too far."

"We'll prove it." The Doctor turned to Charlene, grinning. "Won't we?"

She grinned back. "We _definitely _will." Winking at Martha, she went inside the TARDIS with the Doctor right behind her.

They did exactly what Martha said they did this morning and when they returned, the Doctor and Charlene stepped out of the TARDIS.

"Told ya!" the Doctor said, showing his tie.

"I know, but… that was this morning! But – did you … Oh my, God! You can travel in_time_." Martha was looking at the Doctor with that same look as before causing a unsettling feeling to come over Charlene.

The Doctor put his tie on as she continued speaking,

"But hold on, if you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go into work?"

"Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden," the Doctor said seriously.

"Except for cheap tricks of course," Charlene added, forcing a smile grin.

"And that's your spaceship." Martha went over to the TARDIS and touched it.

"It's called the TARDIS," The Doctor told her. "Time And Relative Dimension in Space."

"Your spaceship is made of wood. There's not much room. We'd be a bit intimate." Though it was because of three people, Martha was especially looking at the Doctor.

Charlene glowered at her. Didn't she know that the Doctor was taken? The Doctor was hers. She pursed her lips as if she had tasted something sour.

Of course the Doctor didn't notice the way Martha was looking at him as he pushed open the door. "Take a look."

She walked inside with the Doctor and Charlene following her. While Martha freaked out over the fact that the TARDIS was _bigger on the inside_, Charlene headed to the console.

"It's bigger on the inside," Martha finally breathed out as the Doctor mouthed it along with her and Charlene couldn't help but giggle at him.

"Is it?" he asked afterwards. "I hadn't noticed." The Doctor shut the doors and threw his coat over the nearest coral railing. "All right, then, let's get going." He went over to the console and stood beside Charlene, pressing buttons on the console.

"But is there a crew?" Martha asked, looking around. "Like a navigator and stuff? Where is everyone?"

"Oh, it's just us here," Charlene answered, turning to look at her.

"But no one else?"

"We have each other, always will." She smiled over at her Doctor and he smiled back at her, reaching over to give her hand a squeeze. "But we do have guests that come with us, sometimes. The last one was Rose." She sighed sadly. "She was my sister…" She could feel tears welling up in her eyes and she rubbed them.

"Where is she now?"

Charlene didn't say anything.

"With the rest of Charlene's family," The Doctor said, taking over. "Happy. She's fine."

With those words, Charlene hoped that Rose _was_ happy with Jackie, Pete, and Mickey over in the parallel universe. She didn't want her sister to be sad about her being gone. That was the last thing she wanted for any of her human family.

"Not that you're replacing her," the Doctor hurriedly added on.

"Never said I was." Martha smirked.

"Just one trip to say, 'thanks', you get one trip, then back home," the Doctor said. "We'd rather it just be us."

"You're the one that kissed me," Martha reminded him.

Charlene couldn't stop from rolling her eyes. "That was just a genetic transfer. It didn't mean anything."

But she was ignored and she glowered at Martha once again.

"And if you will wear a tight suit," Martha flirted, moving towards the Doctor, and Charlene clenched her jaw, pursing her lips once again.

"Now… don't!"

"And then travel all the way across the universe just to ask me out on a date…"

"Stop it." The Doctor stressed those two words out, flashing Charlene a apologetic look. She just shrugged, pretending that she didn't care. But Charlene wanted to say a few choice words the Martha, but she held herself back.

"For the record? I'm not remotely interested," Martha said, obviously lying through her teeth. "I only go for humans."

The Doctor looked relived. "Good."

"Anyway!" Charlene changed the subject. "Let's get going. Places to see." She winked at the Doctor, who grinned at her. "First of all, close down the gravitic anomalizer…" She clicked that control.

"Then, fire up the helmic regulator." The Doctor bumped his shoulder with Charlene, grinning, as he did what he said.

"And finally," Charlene sang. "The hand brake." She pushed up the hand brake before moving so the Doctor could grab the brake. One hand on the console, she looked over at Martha. "You might want to hold onto something, Martha. Gets a bit bumpy."

The Doctor nodded as he continued to grin, "Ready?"

"No."

"Off we go." He pulled the hand brake. The TARDIS jolted and shook wildly causing the Doctor to fall into the captain chair while Charlene and Martha grabbed onto the console.

"A _bit_ bumpy!" Martha said, giving Charlene a pointed look.

In response, the blonde just grinned at her. The Doctor heaved himself up and reached over the console, holding out his hand towards Martha.

"Welcome aboard, Miss Jones," he told her.

Martha shook his hand then Charlene's, grinning. "It's my pleasure, Mr. Smith and Charlene!"

Once it was calm enough, Charlene hurried to the wardrobe, wanting to be ready in the right kind of outfit for where they were going. She was really excited for this trip.

They were going to see Shakesphere! You can't get better than that!

**TBC...**

**In...**

**The Shakesphere Code, Part 1...**

**So like I said, Martha still gets her crush on the Doctor, but the Doctor is completely in love with Charlene so no worries there so she'll once again deal with unrequited love ;) Charlene though won't be mean to Martha unlike how Rose would if she was here.**

**And we finally got a mention of a certain Saxon, fun, fun, fun ;)**

**Did you think we'll get a jealous Doctor in the next episode? I think we will. You know the Doctor, he can get a _tad_ possessive.**

**Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you thought of the last part of the Smith, Smith, and Jones episode! Until next time on Never Be The Same! :D**

**P.S. DAY OF THE DOCTOR TOMORROW! ****Sadly, I'm gonna miss it because I'm seeing it in the movie theaters on the 25th. God, it's gonna be hard not to watch on TV. So wish me luck.**


	10. The Shakesphere Code, Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 101 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

Now the outfit that Charlene wears in this episode is a dress in the Elizabethan area and I deicded on using the dress that Buffy Summers wore in the S1 Halloween episode, but instead of pink it's blue. Also her hair is like in the episode too except that it's her actual blonde hair instead of the black wig. Okay now that I've got that out there, allons-y and enjoy the first part of the Shakesphere episode! :D

Thanks to my best friend, RippahGoneWolf for BETAing this chapter :)

* * *

After getting in her dress and getting her hair done (thanks to the TARDIS), Charlene twirled around in the dress, standing in front of the mirror that was there in the wardrobe room. She smiled at her reflection as she stopped twirling. This was the first time she'd actually worn a proper dress. In her previous life, she didn't like dressing up. This time around though, Charlene had a great time trying to find the perfect dress that she wanted to wear. Rose would be shocked to say the least if she saw her now.

Charlene shook the thought of her sister out of her head, knowing if she thought about it more, her happy mood would literally go out the window. As she went to leave the wardrobe room, she had to catch herself to keep from falling as the TARDIS roughly landed at her destination. Charlene tucked the hair that had fallen into her face from the bump the TARDIS made behind her ear.

She left the wardrobe and headed to the console room. She just got there to hear Martha say,

"Blimey! Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?"

"Yes, and I failed it." The Doctor went to grab his coat and it was then that he took notice to her Charlene and his mouth dropped slightly at the sight of her. There was a look of awe on his face. It remembered her of the way he looked at her when he saw her in a dress when they saw and met Charles Dickens. Charlene couldn't help, but blush under his gaze as he gazed over her form. "Carly, you look …" He trailed off as he met her eyes.

"Beautiful." He finally said and she couldn't help but blush more.

"Thank you." Charlene smiled at him shyly.

"You're welcome," he murmured back, returning to glancing at her up and down as if he was trying to remember every inch of her.

Martha cleared her throat hard and the Doctor snapped out of it. Now it was his turn to blush and he ran his hand through his hair nervously as Charlene couldn't help but giggle. Oh she just loved it when the Doctor was flushed and his hair was in that gorgeous mess of his. Made him look very kissable. Then again, he always looked like that. Because like she said to Martha the morning they met her, he was a bit foxy.

"Now then!" The Doctor clapped his hands before grabbing his coat and throwing Martha hers. "We promised you one trip and one trip only. Outside this door…" He went over to the doors of the TARDIS and Charlene followed him. The Doctor turned to face Martha, grinning. "Brave new world."

Martha looked excited, "Where are we?"

Charlene would have said something about the dress she wore, showing where they were, but she decided to let her find out herself.

"Go and see for yourself," she told Martha as she pushed open one of the doors to the TARDIS. She smiled, nodding outside. "You first."

Martha didn't have to be asked twice and she hurried out of the TARDIS. Grinning at each other, the Doctor and Charlene followed, holding hands.

They were standing on a Elizabethan street with people milling about. It was nighttime, but there was people still awake.

"Oh, you are kidding me," Martha said in awe as she looked around. "You are so kidding me. Oh, my God! We did it. We traveled in time. When are we?" Then she quickly corrected herself, holding up a hand, "No, sorry. I gotta get used to this new are we?"

Charlene looked up as the Doctor let go of her so he could pull Martha out of the way when a man from a first floor window dumped contents of a bucket.

"Mind the loo!" he cried afterwards before disappearing back inside his home.

"Somewhere before the invention of the toilet," The Doctor said, letting go of Martha's arm, returning to hold Charlene's hand. "Sorry about that."

"I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift at A&E."

Charlene made a face. "Sounds fun," she said sarcastically as the Doctor started to walk away, tugging her along. Martha followed them.

"But are we safe?" she asked. "I mean, can we walk around and stuff?"

"Yeah we can, we wouldn't be if we couldn't," Charlene answered. "why do you ask?" But she didn't hear Martha's answer as she suddenly she felt herself being tugged to the Doctor's side, his arm tightly around her waist as he glared around. Before she could wonder what he was glaring for, she noticed that as they walked, men were staring at her.

Either with lustful stares or just staring at her in awe like they couldn't believe she existed. Charlene smirked, realizing that the Doctor was jealous. She couldn't help herself as she leaned up and whispered in his ear,"You know, you look so sexy when you're jealous."

His arm tightened around her waist as he shivered, getting the desired effect from Charlene as she couldn't help but press a kiss to his cheek, close to his lips, before pulling away, smiling to herself.

"What if, I dunno, kill my grandfather?" Martha asked, either pretending not see to see this happen before her and the Doctor or she did actually see it happen and was ignoring it.

"You planning to?" The Doctor said back causally as he loosened his grip on Charlene's waist. He was continuing to glare at the men, who were still staring at her.

"No."

"Well then."

Martha changed the subject, "This is London."

"I think so." The Doctor nodded, "Right about 1599."

"Oh, but hold on."

Charlene stopped walking, making the Doctor stop as well, as she looked at Martha.

"Am I all right? I'm not gonna get carted off as a slave am I?"

The Doctor titled his head to the side. "Why would they do that?"

She rolled her eyes as she pointed to her face. "I'm not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed."

"Charlene and I aren't even human," The Doctor said, beginning to walk again with the small blonde. "Just walk around like you own the place. Works for me and Charlene."

"Most of the time anyway," Charlene said with a grin, poking the Doctor in the side, earning a smile and a squeeze around the waist.

"Besides, you'd be surprised," The Doctor continued. "Elizabethan England, not so different from your time. Look over there." He pointed over to a man shoveling manure.

"They're got recycling." Then he nodded towards these two men conversing over a water barrel, "Water color moment." They walked past a man preaching about the end of the world.

"…and the world will be consumed by flame!"

Charlene couldn't help but say along with the Doctor, "Global warming." She and the Doctor shared a grin. "And let's not forgot," she said by herself. "Entertainment."

"Oh yes! Popular entertainment for the masses. If I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwalk right next to." Removing his arm from around her waist, the Doctor slipped his hand into hers and Martha's as they ran around a corner revealing the Globe Theater.

He beamed as Martha gaped at the amazing sight. "Oh, yes, the Globe Theater! Brand new. Just opened. Though, strictly speaking, it's not a globe; it's a tetradecagon – 14 sides – containing the man himself."

"Whoa, you don't mean… is Shakespeare in there?"

"Oh, yes." The Doctor held out one of his arms towards Martha and the other towards Charlene, "Miss Jones and the lovely Charlene, will you two accompany me to the Theater?"

Charlene squeezed his arm, grinning. "Of course, love. Do you even have to ask?"

The Doctor only winked at her as Martha took the arm he had held out towards her.

"Yes, Mr. Smith, I will." They began walking towards the globe as the Doctor said,

"When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare."

"Then I could get sectioned!" Martha joked and the Doctor chuckled while Charlene smiled to herself.

* * *

Martha couldn't believe this was happening. She had actually seen a Shakespeare play in person. First the moon, and now this…Martha couldn't help, but clap her hands along with everyone else as the actors on stage took their bows.

"That's amazing!" She exclaimed to the Doctor and Charlene, who were in comfortable position beside her with the blonde standing in front of the Doctor with his arms around her waist and his chin rested on top of her head. "Just amazing. It's worth putting up with the smell. And those are men dressed as woman, yeah."

"London never changes," The Doctor said, grinning down at Charlene, who nodded with a grin of her own.

"Where's Shakespeare? I wanna see Shakespeare." Martha pumped a fist in the air as she chanted, "Author! Author!" The Doctor looked at her and she noticed, "Do people shout that? Do they shout 'Author?'" She then jumped slightly as she heard a man from behind her picked up the chat and it soon spread.

Now, Charlene's grin was directed towards her. "Looks like they do now, Martha."

She couldn't help but grin back as a handsome man came out and took an exaggerated bow as he blew kisses to the crowd. This was Shakespeare if the crown going wild was any hint. He looked different, good difference of course.

"He's a bit different from his portraits," Martha couldn't help but comment.

"Yeah, this one isn't bad looking," Charlene mused, smirking as if she was saying that on purpose.

The Doctor grunted and Martha looked to see that he was glaring at Shakespeare, a possessive gleam in his eyes. This was a look that she hadn't seen but she liked it. Something she scolded herself for. Though she had been bluntly flirting with the Doctor earlier, Martha knew that it was wrong. He was with Charlene and he obviously loved her. Martha sighed to herself. He just had to kiss her, didn't he?

The sound of the Doctor's voice snapped Martha out of her thoughts. He wasn't glaring at Shakespeare now as he clapped along with everyone. Charlene was now standing in the middle of him and Martha.

"Genius," he said. "He's a genius – THE genius. The most Human that's ever been. Always, he has the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words…"

"Shut your big fat mouths!" Shakespeare shouted and the audience laughed while the Doctor looked disappointed.

"Oh, well."

Charlene patted him on the shoulder as Martha clapped.

"You should never meet your heroes."

"You have excellent taste," Shakespeare said, grinning. "I'll give you that." He pointed to a man in the crowd, "Oh, that's a wig!" The audience laughed again, "I know what you're saying. 'Love Labour's Lost,' that's a funny ending, isn't it? Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon. Yeah, yeah. All in good time. You don't rush a genius." He bowed at the audience clapped, but then he bolted upright,

"When? Tomorrow night!" He announced.

The audience cheered while the cast on stage looked stunned.

"The premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it, 'Loves Labour Won!'"

Again, the crowd clapped while the Doctor and Charlene stayed quiet. Martha wasn't paying attention to that as she clapping along, grinning.

Minutes later, she, the Doctor, and Charlene left the Globe with the rest of the crowd.

"I'm not an expert or anything, but I've never heard of 'Loves Labour's Won'," Martha said.

"Exactly – the lost play," The Doctor told her. "It doesn't exist – only in rumors. It's mentioned in his list of plays but never ever turns up. No one knows why."

"Haven't you got a mini disc? We could tape it. We can flog it. Sell it when we get home and make a mint."

Charlene gave her a look of disbelief, "You're joking, right?"

"That would be bad?" Martha guessed.

"Very bad."

She nodded. "Well, how come it disappeared in the first place?"

"Well, I was gonna give you a quick little trip in the TARDIS, but I suppose we could stay a bit longer," The Doctor said.

"We can't leave a mystery unsolved." Charlene winked.

Martha beamed at the two, _'Yes!'_

**TBC...**

**In...**

**The Shakesphere Code, Part 2...**

**Ending the first part here. Next one will be longer.**

**Hehe. So if the Doctor is getting this jealous now, wonder how he's gonna feel with Shakesphere flirting with Charlene? And what about with her flirting back with Shakesphere just so she can get that out of him as she does seem to rather like making that part of him show and who wouldn't like it? A possessive and jealous Doctor is so fun to write and watch.**

**Oh and thanks so much to Counting Sinful Stars for being my 100th review! Means a lot, sweetie! ;)**

******Anyway, tell me what you thought in a review! Until next time on NBTS!**


	11. Sneak Peek of the Shakesphere Code, P2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Since I haven't been updating, I decided to give you a sneak peek to show you what I'm working on and to tell you something...

My best friend, RippahGoneWolf, is writing a fanfic featuring her OC character and her OC is being inserted into this fanfic to give her own little twist on it ;) So check it out, its called Crimson. Leave reviews and tell her what you think about it! :D Enjoy the sneak peek! :D

* * *

"Sweet lady," he said to her as she sat down in the chair next to him. "Such unusual clothes. So … _fitted_."

"Um, verity, forsooth, egads."

Charlene made a face while the Doctor gave Martha a pointed look. "No, no, don't do that. Don't." He pulled out the physhic paper and opened it up before holding it out towards Shakesphere, "I'm Sir Doctor of TARDIS and this is my lovely fiancé, Charlene, and our companion, Miss Martha Jones."

"Interesting that bit of paper," Shakesphere said, staring at it blankly. "It's blank."

The Doctor, despite the fact not liking the way Shakesphere had been looking at Charlene, couldn't help but be impressed. "Oh, that's… very clever. That proves it. Absolute genius."

Martha peered at the paper, "No, it says so right there." She pointed at the paper, "Sir Doctor, Martha Jones, fiancé Charlene. It says so."

"And I say it's blank," Shakesphere retorted.

"Physhic paper," The Doctor went to explain to Martha, but then stopped. "Long story." Martha scowled at him slightly but he pretended not to notice. "Oh, I hate starting from scratch." He put the physhic paper away.

"Physhic," Shakesphere repeated. "Never heard that before and words are my trade. Who are you exactly? More to the point, who is your blackamoor lady?" He gave a flirty smile to Martha but she only gaped at him as the Doctor winced, sharing a look with Charlene.

"What did you say?" Martha asked, clearly thinking she heard wrong.

"Oops. Isn't that a word we use now-a-days? An Ethiop girl? A swarth? A Queen of Afric."

Martha shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe I'm hearing this."

"It's political madness gone wrong," The Doctor said. "Um, Martha's from a far-off land. Freedonia."

"Really?" Charlene whispered in his ear amused and he just shrugged.

"Excuse me!"

They all turned towards the door where a rather large man stood. He looked angry and his anger seemed to be directed towards Shakesphere.

"Hold hard a moment. This is abominable behavior. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mr. Shakesphere. As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be preformed."

Shakesphere rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Tomorrow first thing. I'll send it round."

"I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine! The script now!" The man's face was beat red by now, earning a quiet snort from Charlene and the Doctor hid a smile.

"I can't," Shakesphere told him.

"Then tomorrow's performance is canceled."

"It's all go, 'round here, isn't it?" Martha commented.

"Apparently," Charlene said, nodding in agreement.

"I'm returning to my office for a banning order. If it's the last thing I do, 'Love's Labours Won will never be played!" The man stormed off.

"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Charlene said sarcastically, earning a chuckle from Shakesphere and she winked at him cheekily before leaning forward with a grin, "So William." The Doctor knew that she had purposely purred his name out from the way she glanced over at him with that sexy little smirk of hers. Oh she was going to pay for that later. "This play of yours … what's it about?"

"Oh that I can't tell you, my dear, you'll have to see for yourself." Shakesphere leaned forward, grinning.

"No worries there, I will," Charlene said, fluttering her eyelashes.

The Doctor glowered as he tugged his Charlene in his lap, glaring at Shakesphere, who leaned back in his chair, chuckling.

Charlene patted the Doctor on the cheek. "Calm down, love. I'm _only_ playing around."

"You think you're so clever," he whispered in her ear and she shivered as she turned her head to whisper back cheekily, her lips practically pressing against his.

"I know I am."

"So!" Martha exclaimed loudly and they looked at her. "How about we have drinks?"

Shakesphere grinned. "I'll drink to that."


	12. The Shakesphere Code, Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 112 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

Thanks to my best friend, RippahGoneWolf, for BETAing this chapter :)

* * *

Even with the comment of Charlene saying that this Shakespeare looked handsome than in his portraits, the Doctor couldn't help but feel giddy over the fact that he was going to be meeting Shakespeare. It was rather brilliant!

The door to Shakespeare's room was already opened, but the Doctor still knocked on the door causing the three men in the room to look up at him. He grinned happily, ignoring the cough of Charlene as she said quietly behind him,

"Fan boy."

"Hello!" The Doctor greeted, stepping inside with Martha and Charlene right behind him. "I'm not interrupting, am I?" He beamed at Shakespeare, still grinning, "Mr. Shakespeare, isn't it?"

Shakespeare looked exasperated, waving his hand around. A move that got a giggle out of Charlene and the Doctor's grin turned into a frown as jealousy and possessiveness gripped him. Only he could make her giggle. He clenched his jaw to keep his emotions in check.

"Oh no, no, no, no," Shakespeare said, running a hand down his face wearily. "Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with. And please don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove—" He stopped and his eyes drifted to the side and the Doctor glanced over to see that he was looking at Charlene and Martha, but his eyes seemed to trail more towards Charlene. The Doctor almost let out a possessive growl at the lust in Shakespeare's eyes as he practically undressed her with his eyes.

"Hey, nonny, nonny," he said and yet again, Charlene giggled and the Doctor visibly flinched at the sound of it, and his eyes twitched. What was so hilarious about that? "Sit down right here next to me."

Martha, who was grinning, made her way over to the left side of Shakespeare and Char went to do this same, but the Doctor tugged her back to him, tightly wrapping a arm around her waist, as he glared at Shakespeare while moving Char to his side, eyes gleaming. The writer looked amused.

"She's taken, I assume?" Shakespeare questioned.

"Yes," The Doctor answered curtly, kissing Charlene on the cheek. "She's mine."

"I like the sound of that," Charlene murmured quietly so quietly to herself that only he could hear her, biting her bottom lip in a way that the Doctor found utterly irresistible as her eyes flickered to his. "Yours. The Doctor's Charlene."

The Doctor couldn't help but pull her more snugly against his side, kissing the side of her head as he did so. He didn't notice the grin on Shakespeare's face at least not until he looked at him when he said,

"Well then, I'll be sure to keep my hands to myself." Then he turned to the two men in the room, "You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go."

A blonde woman came up to them and patted the two men on the shoulders, "Come on lads." She looked at Shakespeare and saw him looking at Martha with a flirty smile on his lips, "I think our William's found his new muse." She and the men left the room. The Doctor let go of Charlene's waist and let her sit down in one of the chairs that was where they were standing at and he sat next to her as Shakespeare spoke to Martha.

"Sweet lady," he said to her as she sat down in the chair next to him. "Such unusual clothes. So … fitted."

"Um, verity, forsooth, egads."

Charlene made a face while the Doctor gave Martha a pointed look. "No, no, don't do that. Don't." He pulled out the psychic paper and opened it up before holding it out towards Shakespeare, "I'm Sir Doctor of TARDIS and this is my lovely fiancé, Charlene, and our companion, Miss Martha Jones."

"Interesting that bit of paper," Shakespeare said, staring at it blankly. "It's blank."

The Doctor, despite the fact not liking the way Shakespeare had been looking at Charlene, couldn't help but be impressed. "Oh, that's… very clever. That proves it. Absolute genius."

Martha peered at the paper, "No, it says so right there." She pointed at the paper, "Sir Doctor, Martha Jones, fiancé Charlene. It says so."

"And I say it's blank," Shakespeare retorted.

"Psychic paper," The Doctor went to explain to Martha, but then stopped. "Long story." Martha scowled at him slightly but he pretended not to notice. "Oh, I hate starting from scratch." He put the psychic paper away.

"Psychic," Shakespeare repeated. "Never heard that before and words are my trade. Who are you exactly? More to the point, who is your blackamoor lady?" He gave a flirty smile to Martha but she only gaped at him as the Doctor winced, sharing a look with Charlene.

"What did you say?" Martha asked, clearly thinking she heard wrong.

"Oops. Isn't that a word we use now-a-days? An Ethiop girl? A swarth? A Queen of Africa."

Martha shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe I'm hearing this."

"It's political madness gone wrong," The Doctor said. "Um, Martha's from a far-off land. Freedonia."

"Really?" Charlene whispered in his ear amused and he just shrugged.

"Excuse me!"

They all turned towards the door where a rather large man stood. He looked angry and his anger seemed to be directed towards Shakespeare.

"Hold hard a moment. This is abominable behavior. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mr. Shakespeare. As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be preformed."

Shakespeare rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Tomorrow first thing. I'll send it round."

"I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine! The script now!" The man's face was beat red by now, earning a quiet snort from Charlene and the Doctor hid a smile.

"I can't," Shakespeare told him.

"Then tomorrow's performance is canceled."

"It's all go, 'round here, isn't it?" Martha commented.

"Apparently," Charlene said, nodding in agreement.

"I'm returning to my office for a banning order. If it's the last thing I do, 'Love's Labours

Won will never be played!" The man stormed off.

"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Charlene said sarcastically, earning a chuckle from Shakespeare and she winked at him cheekily before leaning forward with a grin, "So William." The Doctor knew that she had purposely purred his name out from the way she glanced over at him with that sexy little smirk of hers. Oh she was going to pay for that later. "This play of yours … what's it about?"

"Oh that I can't tell you, my dear, you'll have to see for yourself." Shakespeare leaned forward, grinning.

"No worries there, I will," Charlene said, fluttering her eyelashes.

The Doctor glowered as he tugged his Charlene in his lap, glaring at Shakespeare, who leaned back in his chair, chuckling.

Charlene patted the Doctor on the cheek. "Calm down, love. I'm only playing around."

"You think you're so clever," he whispered in her ear and she shivered as she turned her head to whisper back cheekily, her lips practically pressing against his.

"I know I am."

"So!" Martha exclaimed loudly and they looked at her. "How about we have drinks?"

Shakespeare grinned. "I'll drink to that."

They got their drinks and talked quietly with one another. It wasn't until that much later until they were done with their drinks. Except for Martha. Finally she took the final sip of her drink and she brought it down from her lips with a small smile.

"Well, then… mystery solved," she said. "There's Love Labour's Won over and done with. Thought it might be you know…" She gave a little shrug, "More mysterious."

But it was about to.

There was a whole lot of screaming outside that had the Doctor, Charlene, Martha, and Shakespeare immediately out of their seats and they rushed out onto the street which was some struggle for Charlene as she had to lift up her skirts so she could run faster. But they got there to see that man, whose name was Lynley as Shakespeare had told them up in his room over drinks, spitting up water. Martha's eyes widened.

"It's that Lynley bloke," she said, her mouth slightly open at the weird sight.

"What's wrong with him?" The Doctor muttered before saying loudly, as he ran over to

Lynley's side. "Leave it to me – I'm a Doctor."

"So am I – near enough," Martha said, going over by him.

"Uh, I am too!" Charlene exclaimed even though when she went over there, she stood awkwardly by Lynley as he continued to spit up water with the Doctor having his hands on the man's shoulders, looking him over to figure out what wrong.

He couldn't figure it out in time as Lynley fell to the ground in a heap. Knowing Martha was capable to help Lynley; the Doctor jumped to his feet and ran to look down the street.

* * *

Charlene just stood there, not knowing what to do. Too bad she wasn't a Doctor so she could help, but because she couldn't, she watched Martha as the woman muttered to herself as she listened for breathing and a heartbeat.

"Gotta get the heart going. Mr. Lynley, c'mon, can you hear me? You're gonna be alright." She was going to give him mouth to mouth, but it was too late as the Doctor returned and water gushed from Lynley's mouth. "What the hell was that?" She asked the Doctor shocked while he kneeled on the other side of Lynley.

Charlene kneeled down as well and felt Lynley's pulse. "He's dead," she said as soon as she didn't feel anything, looking at the Doctor and Martha. "How could this happen?" She looked down at Lynley with furrowed brows. "It's like he had a heart attack or something."

"A blow to the heart," The Doctor said, but it was mostly to himself. "An invisible blow." He stood up and addressed Dolly, "Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humors. A natural if unfortunate demise. Call a constable and have him taken away."

Dolly nodded, "Yes, sir." Before she could do that, another woman came up, dressed like a maid. But Charlene felt as if there was something odd about her, but she didn't know what it was. She stared hard at her, trying to figure it out as she told Dolly,

"I'll do it, ma'am." And with that, she walked off, but not before Charlene saw the stratified smirk on her lips causing Charlene's eyes to narrow after her, but she returned to looking at the Doctor, who was once again kneeled down beside the body.

"And why are you telling them that for?" Martha asked in a whisper.

"Because it's still the Dark ages here," Charlene answered, whispering back. "And if we tell them what really happened the first thing they are going to think that it's witchcraft."

"Okay, what was it then?"

The Doctor peered at Martha with intense eyes, "Witchcraft."

-0-

"I got you and your fiancé a room, Sir Doctor," Dolly told the Doctor once they were back in Shakespeare's room and he gave a small nod as Charlene smiled to herself, liking that she was called the Doctor's fiancé. Thank you psychic paper. But it didn't stop her from flirting with Shakespeare. This body seemed a lot more flirtatious, but Charlene couldn't help but love especially when it got the jealous reaction out of the Doctor.

Though he was sexy all the time, he was even more so when he was jealous and possessive. Charlene shivered just thinking about it. "It's across the landing and Miss Jones, you're in the room next to them. It's a conjoining room." She said, looking over at Martha who nodded. She gave one last smile before leaving the room.

"Poor Lynley," Shakespeare said with a sigh. "So many strange events. Not least of all."

He glanced at Martha. "The land of Freedonia where a woman can be a doctor."

Martha straightened up proudly. "Where a woman can do what she likes."

"And you, Sir Doctor." Now Shakespeare was looking at the Doctor, who met his gaze head on. "How can a man so young have eyes so old?"

"I do a lot of reading."

Shakespeare nodded knowingly, "A trite reply. Yeah, that's what I do." Then it was Charlene's turn, "And you look as if you have seen too much in this world and the next."

Charlene looked at him confused, wondering what he meant by that. Then again, he was Shakespeare. She opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but he had already turned to look at Martha, telling her,

"And you, you look at him and Charlene like you're surprised they exist. They're as much of a puzzle to you as they are to me."

There was a small pause until Martha spoke up, "I think we should say goodnight." She left the room and Charlene decided to go too.

She smiled at Shakespeare, "Good night Shakespeare. It was a pleasure meeting you." This earned her a grin and a wink.

"Same here, Miss Charlene."

Her smile widened as she did a small curtsy to Shakespeare before going to the Doctor, standing on her tiptoes, and kissing him on the cheek. After that, she left the room leaving the two men together. She got to her and the Doctor's room and took a look around the room. It was rather small, but it would do for the night. The bed was small as well. That part didn't bother Charlene as she would have to get close to the Doctor. Who could complain about that? Martha stepped into their room from the conjoining room.

"It's not exactly five-star, is it?" she commented.

Charlene couldn't help but laugh at that because it was true, "Yeah, I know, but we're only staying here for the night so it's not too bad. Could be worse."

"Yeah." Martha laughed, "Too bad, I don't have a toothbrush though."

It was then that the Doctor made an appearance, holding out a toothbrush. He crossed over to Martha and held it out to her. "There you go, contains Venusian spearmint."

She took it, smiling. "Thank you." He nodded, crossing over to the bed and settling himself down on it, crossing his legs on the bed. "So, magic and stuff. That's a surprise. It's a little bit, Harry Potter."

"I love Harry Potter,"Charlene said, grinning.

The Doctor nodded in agreement with his own grin. "Wait till you read Book Seven. Oh, I cried."

"But is it real though?" Martha asked, tilting her head to the side slightly. "I mean, witches, black magic, and all that, it's true?"

"'Course it isn't!"

Martha rolled her eyes, "Well, how am I supposed to know? I've only started believing in time travel. Give me a break."

"Yeah, Doctor, don't be rude," Charlene scolded him.

"Thank you." Martha crossed her arms, smiling over at her.

Charlene winked, "Us girls gonna stick together against the rude alien."

"Oi!" The Doctor exclaimed, pouting.

Charlene laughed and Martha joined in only for him to pout some more. Once she finished laughing, Martha spoke up but she was still laughing, only slightly this time, so she spoke through her laughing.

"Goodnight Charlene, you too rude alien." She flashed a teasing grin in the Doctor's direction before going into her room and shutting the door behind her.

Charlene went over to their door and shut it as the Doctor mused to himself,

"Looks like witchcraft, but it isn't. Can't be."

She titled her head to show that she had heard him as she started to undress, not wanting to sleep in the dress. It was a good thing she remembered the proper undergarments, thanks to the TARDIS's help of course. She didn't mind that she was getting undressed in front of the Doctor; it wasn't like she was stripping down naked. She just wanted to get out of the dress for the night.

"What are you doing?" And there was the Doctor's squeaky voice and she couldn't help but roll her eyes as she glanced over at him. He wasn't looking at her and she giggled.

"What does it look like?" she questioned, smirking. "I'm getting undressed and no, I'm not naked under this dress." Her smirk widened at the sight of the Doctor's embarrassed face as she put an emphasis on the word, 'naked.' "Mind out of the gutter, Doctor."

"My mind isn't in the gutter." The Doctor sounded applauded by this, but the embarrassed look on his face was enough to tell Charlene that his mind was totally in the gutter. He was a male after all, not a human one mind you, but he was one. He just had more control than an average male about his urges.

"It's just…" The Doctor speaking again broke Charlene out of her thoughts. "Why don't you just sleep in your dress?"

"Because Doctor, I don't want to…you wouldn't want to either if you had to wear this kind of dress," she responded immediately. "It's a pain." She looked away from the Doctor and tried to reach up to unzip the dress but it wasn't out all that much. "Doctor." She said, making sure it sounded really innocent. "Do you mind helping me unzip?"

"What?" The Doctor squeaked.

"I need help undressing."

"What?"

"I can't reach the zipper so I need you to unzip it for me."

"What?!"

"Doctor!" Charlene flashed him an exasperated look and she could clearly see him gulp. He took a deep breath as he got off of the bed and went over to her. She moved her hair of the way so he could get a clear look at the zipper and it also gave a nice view of the back of her neck. Charlene could feel the Doctor's fingers trembling against her back as he grabbed the zipper. She wanted to touch him to calm him down and that there was nothing to be nervous about. Finally she felt the dress loosen around her signaling that it was unzipped.

"Thank you," Charlene told him, biting her bottom lip.

"Y-y-yeah." The Doctor cleared his throat when his voice shook and he said, but this time his voice didn't shake, "Yeah."

She pulled the dress off of her shoulders, but she didn't take it off all the way as she suddenly felt hands on her bare shoulders and shivered at how warm his hands felt against her skin.

"Let me," The Doctor whispered almost huskily in her ear, his breath tickling it and Charlene shivered once more.

"O-o-okay." This time it was her voice that shook.

The tension in the air was growing thick as the Doctor slowly but surely pulled down the dress. When she felt the dress fall down to her ankles, Charlene let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding in and stepped out of the dress. She turned towards the Doctor and she let her eyes flicker to his but they were busy looking over her. The way he looked over every inch of her made her feel as if she was burning up and the sexual tension kicked in even more than it already was and she couldn't resist moving closer to the Doctor, her hands going to his tie, as she let her body almost press against his.

"You know," she purred. "I think you're a little overdressed."

"I think you might be right, love." The Doctor smirked. Another move that sent shivers down Charlene's spine.

But she ignored those for a moment as she hummed once, pleaded at what he said, "Good thing we're on the same page, then." She pulled the tie out and her hands went to the buttons of the outer jacket of his suit. While she unbutton them, she felt the Doctor put his hands on her hips, his fingers accidently brushing her bum and she had to stop herself from giving a small moan at how it felt. Finally she got the suit jacket off, her breathing now heavy and her eyes were glazed over with lust.

"Better?"

"Oh yes," she breathed out, finally letting out that small moan which made the Doctor's gaze over. "Kiss me." She demanded, now pressing her body against his.

And the Doctor complied, pressing his lips against hers, parting them immediately with his tongue. Charlene wrapped her arms around his neck, having to stand on her tiptoes, and his hands left her hips only to wrap around her waist, picking her up off her feet and she let her legs snag around his waist as she let out her tongue meet his. They tangled together, starting a battle for dominance. However this battle only last for a couple more minutes because the Doctor broke away from her lips and began kissing her neck, mumbling against it as he pressed small but intimate kisses up and down her neck.

"There's such thing as psychic energy, but a human couldn't channel it like that."

She just nodded, not really listening as she moved her neck more to side to get him more access to it. He paused in speaking to suck on her pulse point and she let out a moan of pleasure and she tightened her grip on his neck while her fingers slid into the back of his hair, pulling at it when his lips closed around her ear lobe, tugging it ever so gently, causing her to moan again. She could feel herself getting all hot and bothered and she wanted to pull off the rest of the things she had on, but she resisted the urge.

Then he began speaking against letting go of her ear lobe so he could start kissing her neck again. This time using his tongue to lick the places where he sucked on her neck. How he managed to talk while using his tongue like that, Charlene had no idea, but she couldn't help but groan to herself as he spoke because really? He had to voice his thoughts while this was happening? Charlene could barely focus on what he was saying, yet alone voice was she was thinking.

"Not without a generator the size of Taunton and I think we'd have spotted that. No." He pulled away from her neck and Charlene groaned out loud in disappointment. The Doctor peered into her eyes. He looked worried now and this sort of made her snap out of whatever daze she was in.

"What?" she questioned, not missing the fact that her voice deeper, huskier than normal.

"There's something we're missing," he answered. "Something really close, staring at us right in the face and we can't see it."

"I wouldn't worry," Charlene reassured him as she let her hands rest on his shoulders while looking at his face. "We'll figure it out. We always do." Though she wanted to finish what they were doing, she knew that it was probably time to go to bed. "Come on, let's go to sleep. Maybe a good night's sleep is all we need."

The Doctor nodded and Charlene removed her legs from around his waist and then he settled her back on her feet.

She crawled into the bed on the side where the candle was and when she felt the Doctor's side of the bed dip, she blew out the candle. She got close to the Doctor so they both could fit on the bed and he slid his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. Charlene tangled her legs with his before resting her head on his chest while wrapping her own arms around his thin waist. She closed her eyes and fell to sleep.

But she wasn't asleep for long when there was loud scream and the Doctor tugged her out of bed, not even letting her put her dress back on, while he was able to get the outer suit jacket back on. She blushed when they met with Martha, who blinked at what she was wearing, but she ignored it.

They burst into Shakespeare's room and the writer was startled awake, blinking in confusion.

"Wha'? What was that?"

While the Doctor ran over to Dolly's body, Martha and Charlene ran to the window where they saw a silhouette of a witch on a broom flying away in the sky. It was rather cold outside and Charlene shivered as the air hit her skin.

"Her heart gave out," The Doctor finally said. "She died of fright."

"Doctor?" Martha called and he was at their side in an instant, looking outside.

"What did you see?"

"A witch."

Charlene noticed from the corner of her eye that Shakespeare was looking at her and she flushed. It was something the Doctor noticed and when he saw Shakespeare looking at her, his face formed a scowl and he quickly took off the outer suit jacket and covered Charlene with it. She pulled it tightly around her as Shakespeare smiled sheepishly.

**TBC...**

**In...**

**The Last Part of the Shakesphere Code...**

**Oh man! I am such a tease for writing that Doclene alone scene ;) Sorry I couldn't help myself. But I bet your filled with disappointment that it didn't happen and were probably shouting, 'just do it already!' I don't blame you. I was the same way when I wrote it which was just now lol.**

**Again, there's this story called Crimson by RippahGoneWolf and it follows this story with her own character added in the mix so if you guys could check it out that would be really amazing and me and her will love you for it! Oh and you might get a virtual kiss from the Doctor if you check it out ;)**

**Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you thought of the second part of the Shakesphere Code! **

**Until next time, DC (The Doctor's Charlene) ;)**


	13. The Shakespeare's Code, Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 125 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

The beginning doesn't have a specific POV as you can tell but then it goes to Charlene etc. just to let you know :) Oh and sorry it took a while for the update, but better late than never I always say.

* * *

Shakespeare sighed for the second time that day. It was now dawn and they were all sitting around his desk after what happened with Dolly. A solemn mood was over all of them. "Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey," he said sadly. "She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place. We all ran like rats." He looked up at the Doctor and Charlene, who were sitting next to each other, and Martha was sitting in the seat on the other side of Charlene, leaning back against his chair. "But what could have frightened her so? She had such enormous spirit."

"'Rage, rage against the dying of the light,'" The Doctor quoted, leaning against his hand.

Shakespeare liked the sound of that if the look on his face, "I might use that."

"You can't," The Doctor told him, glancing over at him. "It's someone else's."

"But the thing is," Martha spoke up, crossing her arms as everyone looked at her. "Lynley died on dry land, Dolly died of fright, and they were both connected to you." She looked over at Shakespeare, who looked taken aback and rightfully so because she was accusing him something he didn't do.

"You're accusing me?" he asked Martha, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Martha shook her head. "No, I'm not," she told him. "But Charlene and I saw a witch."

"We definitely did," Charlene said. "And one from like the Wizard of Oz with all that crackling and flying away on a broomstick." She gave a grin and giggled at the cute confused look, well not as cute as the Doctor's but cute enough, on Shakesphere's face about the 'Wizard of Oz' reference.

"And you're written about the witches," Martha added causing the confused look to deepen.

"I have? When was that?"

Charlene nudged Martha in the leg. "Not yet Martha," she said in a low voice.

"Peter Streete spoke about witches."

"Who's Peter Streete?"

"Our builder," Shakesphere answered as he looked over at Martha. "He sketched the plans to the Globe."

"The architect," The Doctor mused. A spark of realization flashed in his eyes, one that Charlene recognized. "Hold on… the architect! The architect!" He stood up, slamming a fist on the table making Shakesphere and Martha jump, "The Globe! Come on!" He rushed off, grabbing Charlene by the hand and tugging her along. Shakesphere and Martha glanced at each other before rushing after the couple.

-0-

The Doctor and Charlene were both in the pit of the Globe Theater, pacing about right next to each other, while Martha and Shakesphere stood on the stage, watching them.

"The columns there, right? 14 sides," The Doctor said, pointing over to what he was talking about. "I've always wondered but I never asked…" He stopped pacing and looked at Shakesphere, "Tell me, Will, why 14 sides?"

"It was the shape that Peter Streete thought best, that's all." Shakesphere shrugged, "Said it carried the sound well."

"Why does that ring a bell? 14…"

"I think that's probably because there are 14 lines in Sonnet, love."

"So there is. Good point." The Doctor kissed the back of Charlene's hand, smiling at her before putting it back down and letting go of her hand, "Words and shapes following the same design." The pacing began again, "14 lines, 14 sides, 14 facets…oh, my head. Tetradecagon…think, think, think! Words, letters, numbers, lines!"

"This is just a theater."

"Just a theater, ah dear Shakespeare, it's so much more than just a theater," Charlene said enthusiastically as she went up to the stage, resting her arms on it. "_So much more_."

"She's right, a theater is magic. You should know." The Doctor stood beside Charlene, putting his arms on the stage as well, grinning up at Shakesphere, "Stand on this stage, say the right words with the right emphasis at the right time…Oh, you can make men weep, or cry with joy, change people's minds just with words in this place." He paused for a moment before speaking again, but this time more slow as he moved back from the stage, "And if you exaggerate that…"

Martha snapped her fingers, getting the Doctor, Charlene, and Shakespeare's attention, "It's like you're and Charlene's police box. Small wooden box with all that POWER inside."

The Doctor turned to her, pleased, "Oh. Oh, Martha Jones, I like you."

Martha gave a small, proud smile.

"Tell you what, though. Peter Streete would know. Can I talk to him?"

"You won't get an answer," Shakespeare denied with a shake of his head. "A month after finishing this place…lost his mind."

"Why? What happened?" Martha asked.

"Started raving about witches, hearing voices, babbling. His mind was addled."

"Well, he was right about the witches so he wasn't that crazy," Charlene pointed out. "We might as well try and talk to him. See what he knows. Where is he now?"

"Bedlam."

"What's Bedlam?"

"Bedlam Hospital. The madhouse."

The Doctor nodded, "We're gonna go there. Right now. Come on." He was the first one out of there then followed by Charlene then Martha while Shakesphere called out while following them,

"Wait! I'm coming with you. I want to witness this first hand!" He stopped two young actors who entered the Globe and handed the play to one of them, "Ralph, the last scene as promised. Copy it, hand it round. Learn it. Speak up. Back the curtains up. Remember, kid, project. Eyes and teeth. You never know – the Queen might show up." Finally he left the Globe, muttering to himself, "As if. She never does."

* * *

Charlene looked behind her to see where Martha and Shakesphere were at. They weren't that far away from them, but she wondered what they were doing. Though as soon as she wondered that, she already knew. They were back there flirting and she couldn't help but smile.

"What?" The Doctor asked from beside her.

"Oh nothing." Charlene said casually. "I was just thinking about how fun it is flirting with Shakesphere and that Martha probably having fun doing it too." She glanced over at him to see that he was frowning, "Oh don't worry, love. Its fun flirting with you, but it's nice getting flirted with back. But I understand because flirting really isn't your strong suit, no matter how brilliant you are at other things." Charlene knew the kind of reaction she would get from the Doctor when someone doubted his skills, but it didn't stop her from almost laughing out loud when he gave it.

"I'm brilliant at flirting! I can out flirt the best."

"Sure you can, dear, sure you can." Charlene grinned, patting him on the top of the head.

"I can prove it."

"Alright, fine, you can prove it to me later when all this is over and the one you're going to have to out flirt is me because I am brilliant at it." She smiled smugly.

"Oh we'll see about that."

"Yes, we will, my dear Doctor," Charlene purred, and she couldn't help but reach back and give him a smack on the bum.

"Carly!" The Doctor squeaked.

Charlene giggled, smiling innocently. "Oops, my hand must have slipped."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed at her playfully, "Oh, you're going to pay for that later."

"Is that a threat, love?" she teased.

"No, it's a promise." He said it in this low growl that sent shivers down Charlene's spine.

"Well then, I'm looking forward to it."

"Gooood." It was the Doctor's turn to give Charlene a smack on the bum, causing a squeak to escape her. When she looked at him, he gave her a wink before going back to get Shakesphere and Martha. Charlene stared after him, groaning to herself.

That man was going to be the death of her someday!

When the Doctor returned with Martha and Shakesphere, they continued on their way to Bedlam.

Loud screams and moans were the first things that Charlene and the rest of them heard as they were lead through the halls of the mad house by the Jailer, who was creepy to say the least. But Charlene didn't let it bother her as much because it was the screams and moans that bothered her so much more. It was so painful to hear that she couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around her. She glanced around sadly at the patients trying to get out of their jail cells. She could feel the Doctor looking at her and she moved to his side, letting him wrap an arm around her waist, and she leaned her head against his arm as she continued to look at the patients sadly.

"Does my, Doctor, wish some entertainment while he waits? I'd whip these man men." To show his point, the Jailer smacked the nearest cell with the whip he had, hitting the person that was in there on their fingers causing him to stumble backwards and he grinned nastily and Charlene glared at him, "They'll put on a good show for ya. Bandog and Bedlam!"

"No, I don't!" The Doctor snapped with a hard look on his face.

"Yeah, we're fine, thanks," Charlene added unable to stop herself from sneering at the jailer, who only looked at her amused.

Finally they stopped walking.

"Wait here, my lords," The Jailer said to the Doctor and Shakesphere. "While I make him decent for the ladies." Before leaving, he made way to smack Charlene in the bum, but the Doctor grabbed his hand and squeezed hard. Charlene could clearly hear bones breaking causing the jailer to let out an almost girlish shriek and she had to keep herself from laughing out loud because of this.

"If you lay a hand on her, I'll rip this hand off before you can even _blink_, _got it_!" The Doctor growled darkly, giving him his 'Oncoming Storm' glare.

The Jailer just nodded and he let of his hand, letting him finally walk off. Charlene stared at the Doctor, smiling to herself. She just loved how protective he was of her. Though she didn't need protecting, it was nice to have someone there if she needed it.

"So this is what you call a hospital, yeah?" Martha said, looking applaud. "Where the patients are whipped to entertain the gentry? And you put your friend in here?"

"Oh, and it's all so different in Freedonia."

"But you're clever!" Martha protested as she gestured around. "Do you honestly think this place is any good?"

"I've been mad. I've lost my mind. Fear of this place set me right again. It serves its purpose."

"Mad in what way?" Martha stared at Shakesphere hard.

"He lost his son," Charlene answered softly. Though she personally didn't know what it was like to lose a child, she could imagine how hard it would be. Losing a child was something that no parent should have to go through.

Shakesphere nodded sadly, "My only son. The Black Death took him. I wasn't even there."

The hard look was gone off Martha's face as she winced. "I didn't know," she said. "I'm sorry."

"It made me question everything. The futility of this fleeting existence. To be or not to be…" Charlene smiled at the familiar line and Shakesphere pursed his lips, looking thoughtful. "Oh, that's quite good."

"You should write that down," The Doctor said, leaning back against the wall he was standing in front of with his hand in Charlene's.

"Hm, maybe not. A bit pretentious?"

"Maybe a bit." Charlene shrugged, "But it's still a good line."

Shakesphere opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the Jailer calling,

"This way, m'lord!"

As they walked down the hall towards Peter's cell, Charlene hoped that they were able to get answers from him.

* * *

The jailer opened Peter Streete's cell and let the Doctor, Charlene, Martha, and Shakesphere inside. "They can be dangerous m'lord," he warned. "Don't know their own strength."

The Doctor glared at him, still peeved at the jailer for almost touching Charlene and for treating the people here the way he did, whipping them like they were _nothing_. "I think it would help if you don't whip them! Now get out!"

Charlene squeezed his hand as the jailer left the cell. Once he was gone, the Doctor let go of his Charlene's hand and he approached Peter slowly, not wanting to startle him.

"Peter?" he called softly to the man who's back was to him, Charlene, Shakesphere, and Martha and his shoulders were shaking. He didn't seem to know that were there so the Doctor tried again, "Peter Streete?"

"He's the same as he was," Shakesphere said, crossing his arms. "You'll get nothing out of him."

"If there's anyone who can get him to talk it's the Doctor," Charlene told the writer quietly as she stepped closer.

"Peter." The Doctor placed a hand on the man's shaking shoulder and his head snapped up, meeting his brown eyes with his wild, glassy ones. The first thing he noticed was that this was a man who had something to say, but was forced not to. Not wasting time, he leaned down, placing his fingertips along Peter's face, "Peter, I'm the Doctor. Go into the past, one year ago. Let your mind go back, back to when everything was fine and shining. Everything that happened in this year since happened to somebody else. It was just a story. A winter's tale. Let go. Listen." He could feel Peter relax and he nodded encouragingly, "That's it, just let go." Gently, he laid Peter down on his cot and he looked down at him, "Tell me the story, Peter. Tell me about the witches." He glanced over at Charlene from the corner of his eye to see her standing beside him, wanting to hear the story as well.

Peter spoke frantically surprising Shakesphere, "Witches spoke to Peter. In the night, they whispered. Got Peter to build the Globe to their design. THEIR design! The 14 walls – always 14. When the work was done…" He laughed madly, "They sapped poor Peter's wits."

"Where did Peter see the witches? Where in the city?" When he didn't say anything, the Doctor kneeled beside Peter, "Peter, tell me," he said intently. "You've got to tell where were they?"

"All Hallows Street."

"Too many words."

Everyone jumped at the sight of a witch appearing beside the Doctor, who moved back, grabbing a hold of Charlene's arm and they moved to stand beside Martha.

"What the hell?" Martha blurted out, taking aback by the witch's appearance.

"Just one touch," The witch stated with an evil grin, holding up a finger.

The Doctor and Charlene knew what was about to happen. "No!" they shouted at the same time, but it was too late.

The witch touched Peter with her finger and he screamed in pain. Minutes later, Peter's eyes rolled in the back of his head as he died. Charlene, the Doctor, and Martha watched on in horror while Shakesphere gripped at his hair, looking at the witch in disbelief.

"Witch! I'm seeing a witch!"

The witch crackled, holding up a finer once more as she pointed at each of them. The Doctor's horrified look at what happened disappeared, a glare replacing it.

"Who would be next, hmm?" she questioned with another crackle. "Just one touch. Oh, oh, I'll stop your frantic hearts. Poor, fragile mortals."

Martha ran to the doors and shook the bars. "Let us out! Let us out!" she yelled.

"That's not gonna work," The Doctor said deathly calm. "The whole building's shouting that."

"He's right." Charlene gently pulled Martha away from the doors and gripped her hand, eyes still on the witch.

The witch was still pointing out her finger, titling her head to the side, "Who will die first, hmm?"

"Weeeelll," The Doctor drawled, stepping forward. "If you're looking for volunteers." He moved towards the witch.

"No! Don't!" This came from Martha as she looked at the Doctor in disbelief, wondering what in the hell he was thinking. But that was the thing. He didn't think. How do you think he got stuff done?

"Doctor, can you stop her?"

"Of course he can," Charlene said brightly, letting go of Martha's hand to join the Doctor. "With some help of course." She winked at the Doctor, who grinned at her. "We're not the Dynamic Duo for nothing." They shared a fist pump, grinning. This earned a confused look from Shakesphere and an exasperated look from Martha, who was clearly wondering how they could be this playful at a _time_ a like _this_.

"No mortals have power over me," The witch sneered.

"Oh, but there's a power in words."

"Lots and lots of power, so much that you can even taste it," Charlene added, grinning.

"Yes and if we –"The Doctor gestured to him and Charlene, "can find the right one – if we can just know you…"

"Then we can get rid of you." Charlene shared a smirk with the Doctor but the witch only scoffed.

"None on Earth has knowledge of us."

"Then it's a good thing that I'm here," The Doctor said smugly.

"Oh yeah, my Doctor knows everything." Charlene patted him on the shoulder, smiling.

"Thank you, Carly." He gave her a wink before looking at the witch, examining her over, "Now, think, think, think… humanoid female, uses shapes and words to channel energy…"

"I got it!" Charlene shouted just as the Doctor figured it out. "14!"

"14!" the Doctor repeated, shouting as well. "That's it! 14! The 14 stars of the Rexel planetary configuration!"

Charlene decided to finish it off, grinning widely, "Creature, I name you Carrionite!" She and the Doctor gave each other a high five as the witch wailed and disappeared.

"What did you do?" Martha asked.

"Oh, I just named her," Charlene answered, shrugging.

The Doctor nodded as he gave a small grin towards Charlene, "The power of a name. That's old magic."

"And now you know why we call ourselves the Dynamic Duo, we're brilliant." Charlene smiled cheekily.

The Doctor grabbed Charlene's hand and kissed the back of it. "That we are, my love," he said once he pulled his lips away from her hand, smiling at her as he gave her hand a squeeze. "That we are."

"But there's no such thing as magic," Martha pointed out and the Doctor kept a grip on Charlene's hand, entwining their fingers, before telling Martha,

"Well, it's just the different sort of science. You lot, you chose mathematics. Given the right string of numbers, the right equation, you can split the atom. Carrionites use words instead."

"Use them for what?"

"Well, you saw what they did to Dolly and Lynley," Charlene said, leaning against the Doctor. "With that kind of power, you could use it for the end of the world and that is exactly is what they're going to use it for if we don't stop them."

* * *

Martha leaned back against the table in Shakespeare's room, watching the Doctor walk about the room. Something she noticed that he did when he was busy thinking or just because he didn't want to sit down. Charlene was beside her, leaning against the table as well, while Shakesphere was wiping his face and neck with a wet towel.

"The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe," The Doctor spoke up, still walking around. "Nobody was sure if they were real or not."

"Well, I'm going for real." Shakesphere sat down the towel.

"But what do they want?" Yeah, Martha knew that they wanted to end the world, but what did they want to get out of that.

"A new empire on Earth," The Doctor responded as he stopped walking. "A world of bones, blood, and witchcraft."

"Sounds very pleasant," Charlene said sarcastically.

"But how?"

The Doctor stared at Shakesphere, "I'm looking at the man with the words."

"_Me?_ But I've done nothing."

"Hold on, though." Martha stepped away from the table when she realized something. "Where were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?"

"Finishing the play," Shakesphere said slowly, not getting it.

"I get what you get saying, Martha." Charlene beamed at her, "That's a very good point." She turned towards Shakesphere, a serious look on her face, "What happens on the last page of the play?"

"The boys get the girls. They have a bit of a dance. It's all funny and thought provoking as usual." Shakesphere stopped, looking up at them, "Except those last few lines. Funny thing is… I don't actually remembering writing them."

"That's it. They used you. They gave you the final words. Like a spell, like a code. _Love Labour's Won_ – it's a weapon! The right combination of words, spoken at the right place with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter! The play's the thing!" The Doctor grinned before adding as he looked at Shakesphere, "And yes, you can have that."

As soon as they found a map, the Doctor spread it out on the table. "All Hallows Street," he said. He pointed at it once he found it, "There is it. Martha, Char, we'll track them down."

Martha and Charlene nodded.

"Will," The Doctor started, turning to look at Shakesphere, "You get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop that play!"

"I'll do it." He grinned, shaking the Doctor's hand, "All these years I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing."

"Oh Will, don't let this big head over here doubt your intelligence," Charlene teased, patting him on the shoulder.

The Doctor shoved her on the shoulder playfully, "Oi!"

Shakesphere chuckled. "Oh, I won't dear," he said, giving Charlene's hand a squeeze. He let go of it, "Good luck, you three."

"Good luck Shakesphere." The Doctor headed towards the door with Charlene and Martha, "Once more unto the breach!"

"I like that. Wait a minute … that's one of mine."

"Oh, just shift!"

Charlene rolled her eyes amused as Martha laughed, shaking her head.

-0-

Making it to the street, the Doctor looked around at all the houses. "All Hallows Street, but which house?"

"Let's look for the creepiest one," Charlene suggested. "Because that's probably it."

"The thing is though…" Martha stopped in front of this large house causing Char and the Doctor to stop as well, "Am I missing something here? The world didn't end in 1599. It just didn't. Look at me – I'm living proof."

"Oh, how to explain the mechanics of the infinite temporal flux?" The Doctor thought about it. "I know! It's like Back to the Future!" He snapped his fingers, "It's like Back to the Future?"

"Oh, I love that movie!"

"The film?" Martha asked even though as soon as she asked it, she knew it was a stupid question to ask. She seemed to do that around the Doctor a lot more than she should.

"No, the novelization. Yes, the film. Marty McFly goes back and changes history."

"And he starts to fade away." Martha gasped, realizing, "Oh, my God, am I going to fade?"

"You and the entire future human race."

Martha gulped and Charlene must have noticed as she placed her hands on her shoulders.

"We're not going to let that happen, Martha," she told her reassuringly. "We're going to stop it but first we have to find out which house is the right one."

Just then, the doors of the house that they were standing in front of opened up and you just hear the scary music in the background.

"Ah, make that WITCH house," The Doctor joked, raising his eyebrows as he headed towards the house.

"That's not really funny," Charlene said after him dryly.

"Yes it is."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is. It's very clever."

"You _think_ it's clever."

"I _know_ it's clever."

"How is that clever?"

"It just is." The Doctor and Charlene went into the house, but Martha heard Charlene's voice again. It was rather loud to say the least.

"See? You can't even tell me why it's clever so if you think about it, it's not."

_'Wow.'_ Martha thought to herself, shaking her head, before hurriedly following the couple into the house.

Someone was there waiting for them. It was the woman who had been in Shakespeare's room with Dolly. Martha had no idea what her name was.

"I take it we're expected," The Doctor pointed out the obvious.

"Oh, I think Death has been waiting for you and your lover a very time," The woman said with a smirk, staring the Doctor and Charlene down but they didn't look away from her, meeting her gaze head on.

"Right then, it's my turn," Martha spoke up confidently, taking a step forward making the woman look at her. "I know how to do this." She pointed at the woman, "I name thee Carrionite!"

The woman pretended to be hurt before she laughed and Martha looked taken aback, glancing at the Doctor and Charlene, "What did I do wrong? Was it the finger?"

"The power of a name works only once. Observe." The woman pointed at Martha, "I gaze upon this bag of bones and now I name thee, Martha Jones."

Immediately Martha's eyes rolled in the back of head and she swayed on her feet.

* * *

"Martha!" Charlene caught her before she collapsed on the ground and after checking her pulse and seeing that she was fine; she looked up at the woman and glared at her angrily.

"What have you done?!" The Doctor demanded.

"Only sleeping, alas," The woman answered with a curious frown on her lips as she looked down at her finger. "Curious, the name has less impact. She's somehow out of her time. And as for you, Sir Doctor!" She pointed her finger at the Doctor, but didn't get a reaction from him like she expected, "Fascinating. There is no name. Why would a man hide his title in such despair?" Then she paused, grinning. "Oh, but look. There's still one word with the power that aches."

"The naming won't work on me," The Doctor retorted.

"Oh, I'm not talking to you. YOU!" The woman pointed at Charlene, who slowly stood up after gently sitting Martha down, with a smirk. "Your heart aches with pain in this name… The north wind blows and carries on the distant … Rose."

Charlene tensed up at her sister's name. She let the name claim her and she fainted right there on the spot but not before hearing the Doctor cry out her name. By the time she regained consciousness, the woman was gone and Martha was running over to the Doctor, who was on the ground. Charlene weakly got to her feet, arm draped around her stomach and she managed to get to Martha and the Doctor. She felt weak from the naming while Martha looked just fine, but she guessed it was because she was a Time Lady and Martha was just human and not from this time period.

"Oh my God!" Martha exclaimed, dropping to her knees next to the Doctor. "Doctor! Don't worry, I've got you." She rolled him on his back and listened for a heartbeat.

"Martha," Charlene managed to say, getting her attention.

"Char!" She would have given her a hug if it wasn't for her stopping her, raising a hand.

"I'm fine," Charlene told her, sort of out of breath. Martha went back to the Doctor but she stopped her, "Oh, and Martha?" Once she was looking at her, she continued pointedly, "Two hearts."

"Oh right." Martha shook her head and looked down at the Doctor amused, "Do you always have to do that?"

"Sort of." The Doctor opened his eyes and grinned. "It's just too easy." He met Charlene's eyes and he jumped to his feet, "Carly …" Before he could finish, he nearly fell from jumping up at the sight of Charlene so she grabbed a hold of him before he fell to the ground, "I've got one heart working." He groaned, looking up at Char, "How did you cope with this?"

In response, she just shrugged.

"I've got to get the other one started. Hit me! Hit me in the chest!" Charlene did as he asked, "Ahh! Other side!" Martha was the one to do it this time, "On the back! On the back!" Charlene slammed two fists on his back as hard as she could. "Left a bit!" And this was the last time they had to it and the Doctor cracked his back, "There we go! Ba-da-boom!" He peered at Charlene and Martha, "What are you standing there for? Come on! The Globe!" He grabbed Char's hand and he rushed off, dragging her along with Martha right behind them.

Charlene was lucky she didn't trip over her feet. As they got closer to the Globe (after almost going in the wrong direction), she could hear the screaming and they ran the rest of the way to the Globe, seeing a red glow of energy pouring from the Globe. The preacher, who had been ranting about global warming, was there.

"I told thee so!" he exclaimed. "I told thee!"

"Didn't you tell Will to stop the play?" Charlene asked in exasperation.

"Nevermind that right now! Stage door!" The Doctor raced off with the girls behind him as thunderclouds and lighting formed over the Globe, mixing with the red glow.

-0-

The Doctor, Charlene, and Martha burst in backstage only to see Shakesphere rubbing his head in a pile of props.

"Will, you were supposed to stop the play!" Charlene said loudly, putting her hands on her hips.

"I hit my head."

The Doctor sighed, "Yeah, don't rub it, you'll go bald." All of the sudden, there was loud screams coming from the front and he took off running while exclaiming, "I think that's my cue!"

Charlene followed the Doctor and she caught up to him and together, they ran on stage with Shakesphere and Martha right behind them. The wind was blowing hard with the thunder and lightning crashing loudly.

The woman, who they seen in the witch house, was up in the air on a broomstick and she took notice to them. "The Doctor and the girl! They live!" she shouted over the thunder and lighting. "Then watch this world become a blasted heath! They come! They come!"

The Carrionites freed from their crystal prison flew about the Globe.

The Doctor grabbed Shakesphere by the shoulders, "Come on, Will! History needs you!"

"But what can I do?"

"Reverse it!" He let go of Shakespeare's shoulders.

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith, the one true genius. The only man clever enough to do it!"

"But what words? I have no words!"

"You're William Shakesphere!"

"But these Carrionites phases, they need such precision!"

"That's why you make them up! Come up with something or in other words, improvise!" Charlene shouted. "And any time would be great!"

"She's right! Just improvise!"

And Shakesphere did just that.

"Close up this den of hateful, dire decay! Decomposition of your witches' plot! You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My doting Doctor tells me I am not!"

"No!" The woman shrieked horrified and Charlene couldn't help but smirk. "Words of power!"

Shakesphere continued, "Foul! Carrionite specters, cease your show! Between the points…" He glanced at the Doctor.

"7-6-1-3-9-0!"

"7-6-1-3-9-0! And banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee…" There was another pause as Shakesphere looked at the Doctor again for help, but this time he was at loss for words.

"Expelliarmus!" Martha blurted out.

"Expelliarmus!" The Doctor and Charlene exclaimed right afterwards, grinning at each other.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Good old JK!" The Doctor said cheerfully.

The Carrionites screamed and the woman shouted,

"This deep darkness! They are consumed!"

The wraith-like Carrionites got sucked up into the cloud, tornado fashion, and all the copies of the plays followed right behind them.

"'Love's Labours Won,'" the Doctor said. "There it goes."

Finally the cloud disappeared and the audience sighed in relief before it was followed with applause. Charlene and the Doctor were able to duck out as the actors took their bows.

* * *

The next morning at the Globe, the Doctor was backstage in the prop store, searching around.

"Doctor? What are you doing?" He heard Charlene's amused voice ask and he looked to see her leaning back with her arms crossed and a smile on her face. As always, he couldn't help but grin at her.

"Just looking around," The Doctor answered her question, grinning. "And I found this!" He grabbed the fake skull that he found and threw it to Charlene, who caught it and looked it over, "Reminds me of a Sycorax."

Charlene laughed, turning it around in her hands. "I can see why you think that." She put to her face and titled her to the side as she pretended to strike a pose, "What do you think?"

"Very terrifying," The Doctor teased, going up to her and taking the skull away from Charlene, "But this..." He touched her face with his hand and she leaned into his touch, smiling. "Face is much better."

"I would hope so." She kissed the palm of his hand and the Doctor smiled at the gesture as he moved his hand. Then Charlene's eyes brightened, "Oh, would you look at that." Before he could ask what she was talking, she went by him and over to this pile of props and she picked up the thing that was on the top. She turned around and held it up, grinning.

The Doctor recognized it and laughed. Charlene put the ruff collar around her neck. This made the Doctor laugh again, amused at how it looked on her.

"I can't believe this is in here!" Charlene ran her fingers through the ruffles, laughing at the feel of it. "We have to give this to Shakesphere. Then we could say that we started this fashion statement." She took it off, smiling, "Rose would have loved coming here. She loves..." The smile fell as her eyes saddened and the Doctor winced at the sight of it. "I mean, she_ loved_ Shakesphere." She looked sounded as if she was going to cry and she ran her hands down her face. When she pulled her hands from it, tears were streaming down her face and she whispered, "Oh Rose..."

"Carly," The Doctor said gently and this seemed to make her remember that he was in the room. Charlene frantically wiped her face.

"I'm fine," she said, sniffing. "Really, I'm fine."

The Doctor closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. "Carly, I'm so sorry."

Charlene looked at him startled. "What are you sorry for?"

"I could have..." The Doctor stopped, correcting himself, "Should have done _something_ more to save Rose."

"Doctor, there was nothing you could have done." Charlene went over to him and took his hands, staring up at him. "I don't blame you for what happened."

"But why?"The Doctor slowly shook his head, "How can you not? You lost the only family that you knew, Carly."

"I may have lost them, but I still have you. Your my family now and wouldn't have it any other way." Charlene sighed, "Yes, I'm always going to miss them but I made my choice to stay here with you. I knew the cost. You didn't make that choice for me. I did. And as for why I don't blame you, it's because it's_ not_ your_ fault."_

This didn't make the Doctor feel better, but he nodded for Charlene's sake and she hugged him. He kissed the top of her head pulling her close. He pulled away and he picked up the skull while Charlene picked up the ruff collar, both of them grinning. With that, they emerged from backstage and headed over towards Martha and Shakesphere, who were sitting on the stage. The two looked up at them.

"Good props store back there! I'm not sure about this though." The Doctor showed the skull and looked at it before saying the same thing that he said to Charlene, "Reminds me of a Sycorax."

"Sycorax, nice word," Shakesphere said. "I'll have that off you as well."

"I should be on 10%." The Doctor sat down the skull then looked at Shakesphere, "How's your head?"

Shakesphere rubbed the back of his neck, "Still aching."

"Well, we have something for that," Charlene said as she pulled off the ruff collar and put it around Shakespeare's neck. "There you go."

"Neck brace," The Doctor explained. "Wear that for a few days till it's better, although you might want to keep it. It suits you."

"I couldn't agree more." Charlene nodded with a smile, hooking her arm though the Doctor's.

"What about the play?" Martha asked.

"Gone. I looked all over – every single copy of 'Love's Labours Won went up in the sky."

"My lost masterpiece," Shakesphere mused.

"You could write it up again."

The Doctor shook his head. "Yeah, better not, Will," he said. "There's still power in those words. Maybe it should best stay forgotten."

"Oh, but I've got new ideas," Shakesphere said. He smiled, "Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons. In memory of my boy, Hamnet."

Martha's eyebrows furrowed, "Hamnet?"

"That's him."

"Ham-NET?"

Shakesphere frowned at her. "What's wrong with that?"

"Anyway," Charlene said loudly, changing the subject. "We really need to be going."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "I've got a nice attic in the TARDIS where this lot." He held up the crystal ball that held the Carrionites, "Can scream for all eternity and we've gotta take Martha back to Freedonia."

"You mean travel through time and space," Shakesphere said bluntly, startling Charlene and the Doctor.

"You what?" they said together.

"You and Charlene are from another world like the Carrionites and Martha is from the future. It's not that hard to work out."

The Doctor was impressed. Shakesphere was truly a genius. "That's…incredible. You are incredible."

"We're alike in many ways Doctor." He turned towards Martha, taking a hold of her hand, "Martha, let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady."

Martha glanced up at them. Charlene winked and the Doctor gave her a teasing look. She looked back at Shakesphere and the two Time Lords shared an amused look.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate—" Before Shakesphere could finish, two of the actors came into the Globe one of the calling,

"Will! Will! You'll never believe it! She's here! She's turned up!"

"We're the talk of the town," The other actor said, grinning, as the two stopped in front of the stage. "She heard about last night! She wants us to play it again."

"Who?" Martha questioned.

"Her Majesty! She's here!" And Queen Elizabeth the First entered the Globe with her guards.

"Queen Elizabeth the first!" The Doctor said excitedly.

Charlene looked excited too, "This is brilliant!"

The Queen's gaze snapped to Charlene and her face hardened, "Charlene Tyler!"

"What?" Charlene blurted out.

"My sworn enemy!"

"What?!" It was the Doctor this time. _What the hell was going on?_

"Off with her head!"

"What?!"

"Nevermind 'what', just run!" Martha cried. "See you, Will! And thanks!"

"Stop that trollop!" Queen Elizabeth shouted and Shakesphere laughed as they ran off.

They made it to the street and ran through it, dodging people, so they could get to the TARDIS.

"Stop in the name of the Queen!"

"What have you done to upset her?!" Martha asked Charlene loudly.

"How should I know? It probably hasn't happened yet!"

"That's time travel for you!" The Doctor said. "But it's great to find out these things!"

They made it to the TARDIS and the Doctor unlocked it.

"I think I can live without finding out what I did to upset the Queen!" Charlene let Martha go inside the TARDIS first before she tugged the Doctor inside just as the archers fired their arrows.

**TBC...**

**In...**

**Gridlock, Part 1...**

**Finally finished off this episode, but it was really fun to write it! So the Doctor and Charlene had the Rose, but clearly the Doctor thinks it's still his fault that it happened, but hopefully he does realize that it wasn't his fault. And Queen Bess seems to have it out for Charlene. Question is why? That's eventually going to be found out later ;)**

**The Doclene were so fun to write in this chapter, sorry the 'Who's The Best Flirter?' competition didn't happen, but we can save that for a later date. Though clearly, Charlene will win it because you know, she's awesome ;)**

**Anyway, I won't keep you from leaving reviews so please tell me what you thought about the last part of the Shakespeare's Code! Until next time on NBTS! :D**


	14. Gridlock, Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 132 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

Wasn't planning on making this part all in Martha's POV, but it turned out that way. Enjoy the chapter!

Charlene's outfit for this episode is on my polyvore... :)

* * *

Martha wanted to freshen up before the Doctor and Charlene took her back. Just the thought of going home left her with a heavy heart. She didn't want to leave. Just this one trip made Martha want to go somewhere else, but she knew it was impossible. The Doctor and Charlene clearly told her she could only have one trip and both seemed pretty serious about it especially the Doctor. As they said, they would rather is just be them.

Martha sighed as she left the bathroom to head back to the control room. It was rather easy to find and she saw the Doctor and Charlene over by the console, chatting with each other quietly. Charlene was the first one to see her and she smiled brightly.

"Martha!"

She smiled back, going over to the captain chair and sitting down on it demurely. Martha looked over at the Doctor, who looked to be in a good mood, as he flipped a few levels on the console.

"Alright so!" Charlene clapped her hands, grinning. "The Doctor and I talked…and I know we said only one trip and one trip only. But how about we stretch the definition? Like we take you on one trip to the past, one trip to the future? What do you think?"

Martha felt like squealing in excitement, but kept it toned down, settling on a thrilled tone as she said, "No complaints from me!"

Charlene beamed at her, "Great! Where do you want to go?"

The Doctor spoke up though before she could answer. He was grinning. "How about a different planet?" he suggested.

Martha looked the sound of that. "Can we go to yours?" she asked excitedly, glancing at the Doctor and Charlene."

The grin fell from the Doctor's face and Charlene winced before opening her mouth to say something, but the Doctor cut in rather quickly,

"Ahh, that's plenty of other places!" He wasn't looking at her as he tinkered with the controls.

"Come on, though! I mean, the Planet of the Time Lords!" Just the thought of going there made Martha excited. "That's got to be worth a look! What's it like?"

"Well, it's beautiful, yeah…"

Martha got up to her feet, moving around as she continued to speak, not noticing the sad look in Charlene's eyes as she looked over at the Doctor, "Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?"

"Martha…" Charlene said warningly.

But she barely heard her, still lost in imagination, "Great big temples and cathedrals!"

"Yeah…"

Martha turned towards the Doctor, eyes twinkling with excitement, not noticing Charlene's glare on her face. "Lots of planets in the sky?" she asked.

"Doctor, you don't have to…" Charlene said softly, grabbing the Doctor's hand and squeezing it. It was then that Martha noticed the sadness in both of their eyes and she couldn't help but feel she had touched on a sensitive topic. However she didn't know why it was one.

The Doctor didn't seem to hear his girlfriend as he spoke, sounding as if he was far away. That he was gone in a different place and time.

"The sky's burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, mountains that go on forever…"

"Slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow," Charlene cut in with a whisper, her brown eyes glossy with tears.

Martha was memorized by their description. It sounded beautiful and she forgot about her thought about their planet being a sensitive topic for them.

"Can we go there?" she asked, out of breath.

The Doctor snapped out of it and quickly changed the subject. "Nah!" he said. "Where's the fun in that? I don't want to go home!" Charlene didn't say anything, staring into space. "Instead…" He began dancing around the console, tweaking settings as he went, "This is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth! Remember that Carly-love? Now that was an interesting day!"

Charlene shook her head and cracked a smile, "Yes, I remember."

A curious look crossed Martha's face. "What's New Earth?" she questioned curiously.

"It's the Second hope of mankind! Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New, New York."

"Well, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original," Charlene added.

"Yeah, so it's New, New, New, New, New, New, New, New, New, New, New, New, New, New, New, York," The Doctor said rather fast and Martha couldn't help but blink. "One of the most dazzling cities ever built."

"But just call it New, New York, much simpler," Charlene told Martha, laughing as she patted her shoulder. She began to lead her to the doors of the TARDIS as the Doctor threw on his brown overcoat and got in front of the girls, getting to the doors first so he could open them for them. They stepped outside only to find themselves in the pouring rain.

Martha scowled as she hurriedly zipped up her jacket. "Oh, that's nice!" she said. "Time Lord Version of dazzling."

"Nah, a bit of rain never hurt anybody," The Doctor told her.

Charlene looked around the slummy area they were in, frowning. "This definitely isn't the New, New York, I remember." She looked over at the Doctor, "I wonder where we're at then?"

"We'll figure it out," the Doctor said. "But first, let's get under cover!"

Martha didn't have to be asked twice as she, the Doctor, and Charlene dashed through a junk-ridden street, past what looked to be giant dumpsters and old laundry swinging from the line.

"Well, it looks like they same old Earth to me," Martha pointed out. "On a Wednesday afternoon."

"Oh, I love Wednesdays," Charlene said brightly. "Although…" She titled her head to the side, "I don't know specifically _why_."

"Well, Wednesday are better than Sundays."

"Why do you say that?" Martha asked, looking over at the Doctor.

"Sundays are boring. It's the reason why I never land on Sundays." The Doctor changed the subject, "Anyway! Let's have a look." He went over to a dead screen on the wall but there was a cover so they wouldn't be in the rain.

"My turn to do the sonicing," Charlene said, taking out her sonic only to twirl it up in the air and catch it with a grin.

"Why can't I do it?"

"Because you _always_ do it."

"Not always."

"Okay, then tell me when have I ever done the sonicing _without_ you telling me to do it?"

"Fine then I will… what about the time…?" The Doctor frowned then, "What about…? No … Yes! No ... Oh! I got … wait, no…" His shoulders slumped and he sighed giving in as he moved where Char could stand in front of the screen, gesturing to it.

"Thank ya."

Martha held back a laugh at her friend's cheeky reply. Something Charlene noticed and winked at her before using her sonic on the screen. Static appeared and she hit the top of it with a fist, and a blonde woman appeared on the screen. Her name was on the bottom of the picture of her. It was Sally Calypso.

"And the driving should be clear and easy, with fifteen extra lanes open for the New, New Jersey expressway." The picture changed to a gorgeous spired city on the coast of a large river, with sleek flying vehicles zooming in the air. It was beautiful to say the least.

"Oh that's more like it!" The Doctor grinned, "That's the New we had last time."

"Yep, you can practically smell the apple grass." Charlene laughed and the Doctor's grin widened.

"Apple grass?"

Charlene nodded, looking over at Martha. "Oh yeah," she said. "It smells exactly like apples and it smells amazing. That's what we're gonna do." She grinned as she gripped Martha's arm excitedly, "As soon as we get out of here, I'm going to get you to smell the apple grass and you're going to _love_ it!"

Martha laughed at her excitement, "Looking forward to it."

The Doctor smiled before saying, "This must be the lower levels. Down in the base of the tower, some sort of under-city."

"You brought me to the slums?" Martha didn't feel irritated by this as she still had a grin on her face.

"Much more interesting! It's all cocktails and glitter up there." The Doctor trapped on the screen before gesturing around them, "This is the real city?"

"He'll just enjoy anything, doesn't he?"

"Yeah." Charlene laughed at Martha's question, throwing an arm around her shoulders, "That's the Doctor for ya."

"Oh, the rain's stopping!"

And sure enough it was. The Doctor stepped out from under the cover with Charlene. "Better and better!" He ran a hand through his wet hair as Martha followed the couple, arms wrapped around her.

"Did you two bring Rose here?" she asked.

"No, it was just me and the Doctor," Charlene answered, rubbing her nose. "She only traveled with us a couple times."

It was then that Martha realized that she didn't know what happened to Rose, Charlene's sister. All she knew was that she was gone.

"What happened to her?" She didn't miss the way Charlene tensed up.

"I don't like to talk about it." The small blonde sounded cold as her eyes darkened. Martha couldn't help but feel startled at seeing her like that. She had never seen Charlene look that way. She looked so much like the Doctor at that moment it was scary and Martha didn't like it. Even the Doctor flinched. Martha went to say something but she was interrupted by a man, who suddenly flipped opened the top of the large green boxes to reveal a street vendor's cart, and around them, many of the others did the same, appearing and shouting out their wares,

"Oh! How long you been there? Happy! You want Happy!"

"Customers! Customers! We've got customers!"

"We're in business! Mother, open up the Mellow, and the Read!"

"Happy, Happy, lovely happy. Happy!"

"Anger! Buy some Anger!"

"Get some Mellow, makes you feel all bendy and soft all day long!"

"Younger, them. They'll rip you off. Do you want some happy?"

The Doctor frowned, "No, thanks."

"Are they selling drugs?"

"It looks like they're selling moods," Charlene said slowly with her own frown.

"Same thing, isn't it?"

More bedragged-looking people walked into the alleyway behind Martha, the Doctor and Charlene. This got more cries from the pharmacists, trying to get them to come over and buy moods. Martha noticed one woman, dressed in rather dark clothing, walking towards the stalls with obvious intent.

"Over here, sweetheart! That's it, come on, I'll get you first!"

"Oi! Oi, you! Over here! Over here! Buy some happy!"

The woman ignored those two and headed to the one she was by.

"Come over here, yeah." She stopped in front of the stall and the woman behind it smiled, "And what can I get you, my love?"

"I want to buy Forget."

"I've got Forget, my darling. What strength? How much do you want forgetting?"

"It's my mother and father," the pale woman said softly. "They went on the motorway."

"That's so sweet."

Martha, the Doctor, and Charlene shared looks. _Motorway? Sweet? _The Pharmacist reached behind her into the stall and pulled out a circular token, holding it out towards the pale woman.

"Try this," she said. "Forget Forty-Three." The pale woman took the patch and the Pharmacist added, "That's two pence."

The pale woman paid the pharmacist and turned away the token in her hand. Before she could do anything, the Doctor stopped her.

"Sorry, but hold on a minute," he said. "What happened to your parents?"

"They drove off."

"They could come back though," Charlene told her softly. "Do you really just want to forget them if they do?"

"Everyone goes to the motorway in the end. I've lost them."

"But they can't have gone far," The Doctor pressed. "You could find them."

The pale woman just looked at him for a moment before looking down with a sigh and she went to put the patch on her neck.

"No, no – no, don't!" The Doctor tried to stop her, but it was too late.

As soon as she put the patch on, the expression on her face changed so fast that Martha couldn't help but blink in surprise. The woman looked so sad before, but now she looked docile, serene, a bit out of it, and blithely unaware of her surroundings. It was rather sad to see.

"I'm sorry," the woman said shaking her head a bit as she looked at the Doctor. "What were you saying?"

"Your parents," The Doctor said gently. "Your mother and father. They're on the motorway."

"Are they? That's nice."

Martha looked at her in disbelief. She looked at the Doctor and Charlene. The Doctor looked disturbed but not surprised while Charlene looked angry, she didn't look surprised either.

"I'm sorry," the woman apologized again. "I won't keep you." She walked away and all of them watched her go with frowns on their faces.

"So that's the human race five billion years in the future," Martha said, upset and a little scornful. "Off their heads on chemicals."

All of the sudden Martha felt someone grab her from behind, throwing an arm around her neck and dragging her off. She screamed and struggled to get out his firm grip while a woman hurried forward, pointing a gun at Charlene and the Doctor.

"Hey! Let her go!" Charlene exclaimed angrily.

The man, who had Martha, apologized over and over again saying that they only needed three. All the while Martha struggled. It was then that a surprising thing happened for her, the Doctor, and even Charlene who was the one to do it.

She did this high kick and knocked the gun out of the woman's hand before twisting around in a circle. Instead of hitting the man like she did to kick the gun out, she stepped on his foot hard causing him to yelp because she was wearing a wedge boot. Because of this, he let go of Martha who ran over near the Doctor. Charlene panted as she crouched down, hands on the ground, glancing up at the Doctor and Martha.

"How did you—"The Doctor sputtered.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Martha cheered, but this cheer turned into a cry of, 'no!' because the man quickly recovered and grabbed Charlene lifting her clean off the ground. The small blonde kicked her feet as she struggled to get out.

Now the woman was back to pointing her gun at the Doctor and Martha as the Doctor screamed, desperately and angrily, face slowly going red,

"No, let her go! I'm warning you, let her go! Whatever you want, I can help. Both of us, we can help. But first you've got to let her go!"

The woman sounded close to tears as she apologized while backing away along with the man and Charlene, who was still struggling, "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

"Doctor!" Charlene cried.

But it was already too late as the couple disappeared, slamming a large green door behind them.

The Doctor growled, eyes dark as his jaw clenched tightly and Martha flinched at the sight of it. If Charlene got hurt with those people … well hopefully that didn't happen.

Martha had to watch the Doctor wrestle with the doors, biting her bottom lip. He ended up having to use the sonic to open the doors and they started running down the corridor as fast as they could. Martha managed to keep up with the Doctor, who was running as fast as his long legs could take him.

Even with that, it was too late. Just as they burst out of the fire escape, the car that was there started up and lifted up in the air.

"Carly!" The Doctor yelled frantically.

But the vehicle sped off down a small alleyway and out of sight.

_'Shit._' Martha thought to herself, sighing. She looked at the Doctor to find that he was gone. With a small groan, she ran after him and managed to catch up. Martha hoped that got Charlene back because if they didn't, the Doctor wasn't going to take it well and from what she knew of him, she knew that he wouldn't give up without a fight.

**TBC...**

**In...**

**Gridlock, Part 2...**

**Wow, another update! That was quick, wasn't it? *pats myself on the back* LOL. **

**SO Char got taken and you know how the Doctor gets when Charlene is in danger. I feel bad for those two.**

**So we also get the Face of Boe (Jack) in this episode... I can tell you we might get small hints as to what is to come in the last two episodes of season three, but there might not be because I do want to keep that stuff a secret ;)**

**Tell me what you thought of the first part! Until next time!**


	15. Gridlock, Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 141 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

I know that this is a really short chapter, but since I haven't updated this story in so long, I'm sure you won't mind the length too much.

First story updated in 2014! I know it's a little late, but HAPPY NEW YEAR'S ANYWAY! ;)

* * *

"Doctor, slow down!"

The Doctor ignored Martha calling out for him as they ran to get back to the place where they were once. He was so mad, he couldn't even think straight. He gritted his teeth and kept on flexing his hands to keep himself in control. Without Charlene there to calm him down as she always did, it was hard to do that. But if he didn't keep himself in control, he was worried about what he would do and with Martha there, he didn't want her to be in the middle of it if he did lose it.

Finally they made it back and while Martha caught her breath, he ran over to one of the now closed stalls and pounded on it as hard as he could.

It finally opened up, revealing the pharmacist that had given that pale woman the Forget patch and she looked ecstatic to see him. "Thought you'd come back! Do you want some happy Happy?"

The Doctor cut to the chase as this was no time for pleasantries. He needed to find out who those people were and get his Charlene back. "Those people – who were there?" he asked, his voice snippy and angry. "Where did they take her?"

Another pharmacist reveled himself from his stall, "They've taken her to the motorway."

"I'd give up now darling," said another. "You won't see her again."

"Used to be thriving this place. You couldn't move. But they all go to the motorway in the end."

The Doctor clenched his jaw. This wasn't getting anywhere! So he started grilling them all at once with Martha just watching worriedly. She did think about going up to try and calm him down, but the way he sounded and looked made her stay where she was, knowing that it wouldn't be good if she did go up to him.

"He kept on saying three, we need three, what did he mean, three?" The Doctor demanded.

"It's the car sharing policy, to save fuel. You get special access if you're carrying three adults."

"The motorway – how do I get there?"

"Straight down the alley, keep going to the end. You can't miss it."

"Come on Martha," The Doctor said quickly to her and without waiting for a reply, he strided in the direction that the pharmacist indicated, not wasting _any_ more time. He didn't get that far though because the pharmacist called after him,

"Tell you what – how 'bout some happy, Happy? Then you'll be smiling, my love!"

The Doctor whirled around and glared at everyone. "Word of advice all of you," he bit out through gritted teeth, eyes flashing. "Cash _up_. Close _down_. And pack _up_."

"Why's that, then?"

"Because as soon as I've found her, alive and well – and I will find her alive and well – then I'm coming back. And this street is closing. Tonight!" The Doctor whirled back around and stormed off in the direction of the motorway with Martha following after him hurriedly as the pharmacists glanced at each other, apprehensively.

* * *

Slowly, Charlene woke up from her unconsciousness. Her vision was fuzzy and she couldn't really see where she was at. She blinked, and her vision cleared. She finally could see that she was in a cramped up vehicle and that there was an odd green light above her. If she had been still human, the Sleep patch on her neck would have a larger effect on her and she would still be out of it. Speaking of that … Charlene felt the side of her neck with the Sleep patch and when she had it in her fingertips, she tore it off and threw it off to the side with an annoyed sniff. That done, she looked around at her surroundings. She saw the containers of pills and liquid next to her. Her eyes were glued to the front of the vehicle when she heard voices from up there. Instantly, she recognized the voices of the people who took her.

"Yeah," said the woman excitedly. "The view from the windows. You can see all the way out to the flatlands. The sky… they say the air smells like apple grass. Can you imagine?"

"The houses are made of wood." The man grinned at her, "There are jobs going in the foundries. Everyone says so!"

They hadn't noticed that she was awake yet so Charlene thought quickly as her eyes glanced quickly around, finding a gun sitting on a computer screen next to her head, and she immediately grabbed it, pointing it at her captors.

"Take me back," she growled. "Take me back to my friends or I swear I will use this gun without even blinking." Charlene wasn't one for threats. She was too sweet, too calm to go to that level but she was pissed off and it was never a good thing to get her pissed off especially with this regeneration. She couldn't help but notice that this one was quick to anger even more so than the previous one.

The woman and man glanced at one another. They didn't look frightened at all. The woman looked back at Charlene.

"I'm sorry. You can't do that."

"Really?" Charlene didn't put the gun down as she glared at the woman. "And why is that?"

"It's not a real gun."

This threw her off guard and she glanced at the gun as she weighted it in her hand. This gun was rather light and not as heavy as a normal gun was. She knew that she didn't look it, but she did use a gun before. It was during the Time War and her father had given her a gun to use. It was the only time she had used a gun and she had told herself that it was going to be the last time she was going to use one. Now that she was calm, she couldn't help but feel guilty that she had threatened to shoot them.

"Oh," Charlene finally said sheepishly, lowering the gun. Then a thought came to mind and she voiced it out loud, "Why would you have a fake gun?"

"Because there are no real ones," the woman answered. "You can't get a real one anywhere these days. Besides even if it was real, I wouldn't even know how to fire it."

"Well I do, but I would never use it on someone."

The man raised an eyebrow at that, "This coming from someone who just threatened to use it?"

"Well, I'm sorry! You guys kidnapped me and I was pissed off!" Charlene said annoyed.

The man went to say something, but the woman spoke up before he could. "What's your name?" she asked Charlene, trying to be friendly now.

"Charlene," she replied. "Charlene Tyler." She put the gun away and stood up, coming up to the front of the car and standing behind the two.

"Well, I'm Cheen, and this Milo," the woman or now known as Cheen said, introducing herself, and she pointed to the man as she introduced him. She began speaking in a fast pace, "And I swear we're sorry. We're really, really sorry. We just needed access to the fast lane, but I promise, as soon as we arrive, we'll drop you off and you can go back and find your friends."

Though Cheen didn't look dangerous, Charlene didn't trust her, "I'm sorry, but I don't believe you."

"I swear! Look –"She pulled back her hair to reveal a token on her neck.

Charlene peered at it and saw that it had the word, 'HONESTY' printed on it, with the number '39.'

"Honesty patch."

"You may have that patch on there, but that doesn't mean anything," Charlene told her exasperatedly. "You still kidnapped me!" She sighed as she peered outside of the car, "Where are we anyway?

"On the motorway."

"How can you even see? There's all this fog out there."

"It's not fog. That's the exhaust fumes."

'The stuff out there does not look like exhaust fumes.' Charlene thought to herself with a curious frown.

"We're going out to Brooklyn," Milo said, snapping Char out of her thoughts and to look over at him. "Everyone says the air's so much cleaner, and we couldn't stay in Pharmacy Town, 'cause…" He paused to smile atCheen.

Charlene watched as he rubbed her knee with a loving look on his face. It made her smile. It was the same kind of look that the Doctor gave her when he would look at her. Thinking of him brought an ache to her chest and she couldn't help but flinch when she felt it. Though it probably hadn't been that long since she saw him, it felt like it had been forever. Charlene never did like being away from him for long period of time. I mean, she could be away from him, but it was too painful to. She hoped that he was alright. She knew that he wouldn't take her kidnapping very well and would go to any lengths to find her. At least he had Martha there. She didn't know Martha all that much but she did know that she would be able to handle herself against the Doctor if he got out of hand.

Cheen looked up at Charlene with an excited grin on her face, "Well 'cause of me. I'm pregnant. We only discovered it last week. Scan says it's going to be a boy."

Milo made a mock victory gesture, looking just as thrilled asCheen was.

"Okay and you want me to what? Congratulate you?" Charlene asked in disbelief. "Yeah that's the first thing everyone does when they get kidnapped. Congratulate their kidnappers."Sarcasm clearly colored her tone. Something she went to in a stressful situation and this certainly was one of those.

"Oh we're not kidnappers, not really."

"Yeah totally not kidnappers, you just idiots! You're having a baby and you're wearing that patch!" Charlene ripped the Honesty patch off of Cheen's neck and she gave a small yelp of pain, rubbing the spot on her neck afterwards, "I mean, come on!" She threw her arms in the air esasperatedly with a small huff.

"This'll be as fast as we can," Milo said calmly. "We'll take the motorway to the Brooklyn flyover, but then after that it'll take a while, 'cause then there's no fast lane, ordinary roads, but at least it's direct."

"It's only ten miles."

"How long is that going to take?" Charlene sighed.

"About six years."

Charlene's mouth dropped in shock, "What?!" She didn't miss the fact she sounded so much like the Doctor when she exclaimed this. Six years?! What the hell?

"Be just in time for him to start school." Cheen and Milo giggled together, fresh new parents all over again.

"Please tell me you're joking," Charlene begged, but she knew that they weren't lying. But it couldn't be ... there was no way. There was no way you could travel ten miles in six years. There has to be a logical explanation for it. A serious look crossed Charlene's face and she leaned forward, looking at Cheen and Milo, "Okay, ten miles in six years? Why is that?"

-0-

"So, how many cars are out there?" Charlene questioned as she looked out at the traffic jam from outside of her vehicle. There must have been a million cars out there or even a billion of them. She was much calmer now and was ready to get down to business and figure out what was going on with this whole motorway thing. And what better way to start than the question the people who knew about it. It was what the Doctor would do and probably was doing it wherever he was at the moment. Charlene snapped out of her thoughts asCheen answered her question with a shrug,

"I don't think anyone knows."

"Well, there must be a lot out there," Charlene commented, still looking outside, tilting her head to the side. "Has there always been this many out there?"

"Yeah, always." Milo nodded his head, keeping his eyes upfront.

Cheen tapped Charlene on the shoulder and the blonde turned to her to see that she was holding out large round wafer towards her. "Here you go," she said. "Hungry?"

The wafer didn't look all that good, but Charlene didn't want to be impolite so she took it, smiling at Cheen. "Yeah, thanks," she told her, earning a smile back. As she munched on it, she moved away from the window to stand behind the couple again. "How far is it to this fast lane anyway?" she asked through chews.

"Oh, it's right at the bottom, underneath the traffic jams. But not many people can afford three passengers, so it's empty down there. Rumor has it you can reach up to thirty miles per hour."

Charlene just nodded in response as she swallowed what she had in her mouth while looking around the small cramped vehicle. "How do you even live in here? It's rather small. You can barely walk around in here _and_ there's barely enough room to raise a baby in here."

"Oh, we stocked up. Got self-replicating fuel, muscle stimulates for exercise, and there's a chemical toilet in the back. And all waste protects are recycled as food."

_'Good thing I'm not eating this thing anymore.'_ Charlene thought to herself with a grimace as she stared at the wafer in her hand for a moment before tossing it to the ground, nose wrinkling.

"As for the baby, we'll manage,"Cheen said with a confident nod.

Charlene truly hoped that they would. If it was her, she knew that she couldn't manage raising a baby in a place like this.

"Oh, another gap, this is brilliant!" Milo exclaimed excitedly as an electronic voice sounded from this transmitter in the front.

"Car sign in."

Milo grabbed the transmitter and spoke into it, "Car Four Six Five Diamond Six, on the descent to fast lane." He shared a grin with Cheen, "Thank you very much."

"Please drive safely."

As silence filled the car, Charlene thought about the Doctor and Martha. 'I hope you two are okay.' she thought to herself with a worried look on her face.

**TBC...**

**In...**

**The Last Part of Gridlock...**

**Leave reviews and tell me what you thought! U****ntil next time on NBTS! :D**


	16. Gridlock, Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 148 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

* * *

Martha leaned forward to get a closer look at the screen. It had an insignia of the New, New York Police Department. The Doctor was beside her and he was using the sonic screwdriver on the screen to get it working so he could talk to police and see if he could find out where Charlene was. Luckily, he was relatively calmer than he was previously and the dark anger was gone from his face and was replaced by a calm and determined look, ready to find Charlene. It was really sweet how worried he was about her. Charlene was definitely a lucky girl to have someone like the Doctor on her side. Finally the screen started working and the Doctor quickly grabbed the transmitter and spoke into it.

"I need to talk to the police," he said.

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold." As these words were spoken, they appeared typed on the screen.

Martha stared at the screen in disbelief before looking at the Doctor, eyes slightly wide. "They're the police!" she exclaimed. "How can they be on hold?" She asked this question as if the Doctor knew the answer for it but he didn't say anything, looking at the screen with a clenched jaw and his eyes flashing in anger and frustration.

The electronic voice spoke again in response to Martha, repeating the same thing, "Thank you for your call."

The Doctor let out a sound between a growl and a snarl, surprising Martha and smacked the screen hard, cursing in a language that she didn't recognize. His face no longer calm and the dark look he had on previously was back on his face and his hands were clenching and unclenching as he obviously tried to regain control. Martha hesitated before placing a hand on his shoulder. His head snapped over to look at her.

"What?" he bit out through gritted teeth and Martha flinched internally, but she spoke up.

"Doctor, you need to try and calm down, we're going to get Charlene back but hitting the screen isn't going to help us get her back." Instead of the Doctor snapping at her like she thought he was, he just took deep breaths and afterwards, he nodded before scrambling up to the front of the car where Brannigan who was a cat (something Martha still wasn't used to by the way) and Valerie were sitting. Martha followed him up there and stood beside him as best as she could.

"Is there anyone else?" The Doctor asked the married couple. "I once met the Duke of Manhattan; is there any way of getting to him?"

Martha stared at him oddly while Bran raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, now, ain't you lordly?"

The Doctor didn't appreciate the sarcasm obviously because he rolled his eyes and said in an exasperated tone of voice, "I need to find my girlfriend."

"You can't make outside calls. The motorway's completely closed off."

"Well, what about the other cars?" Martha questioned. "Is there a way to contact them?"

"Oh brilliant thinking Martha!" The Doctor grinned at her proudly and she couldn't help but blush at the compliment but he didn't notice as he looked back at Bran and Valerie, "Is there?"

"Oh, we've got contact with them, yeah." Bran nodded as he turned to look at the Doctor and Martha, "Well, some of them anyway. They've got to be on your friends list." He faced forward again, "Now, let's see – who's nearby? Ahh! The Cassini sisters!" He picked up his transmitter and held it to his mouth, "Still your hearts, my handsome girls. It's Brannigan here."

"Get off the line, Brannigan." An elderly woman's voice came through the transmitter. Though the comment was rude, you could tell she was joking by the slight smile in her voice. "You're a pest and a menace."

Bran laughed wholeheartedly making Martha smile, "Oh, come now, sisters. Is that anyway to talk to an old friend."

"You know full well we're not sisters. We're married."

"Oooh, stop that modern talk! I'm an old fashioned cat," Bran joked and Valerie stifled a grin. "Now, I got two hitchhikers here, one of them calls themselves the Doctor." He held the transmitter towards the Doctor and he took it immediately.

"Hello, sorry," he said. "I'm looking for my girlfriend. Her name is Charlene Tyler. She's been carjacked. She's inside one of these vehicles but I don't know which one."

"Wait a minute." A different voice from the one previous sounded and in the background, you could hear the sound of something – a book – opening up and then her voice came through again, "Could I ask, what entrance did they use?"

"Where were we?"

"Pharmacy Town."

"Pharmacy Town," The Doctor repeated what Bran told him into the transmitter. "About twenty minutes ago."

"Let's have a look."

"Just my luck, to marry a car spotter," The previous voice muttered to herself.

"In the last half hour, fifty-three new cars joined from the Pharmacy Town junction."

"Anything more specific?" The Doctor asked, but it ended up sounding more like a snap causing Martha to sigh internally.

"All in good time." There was a pause and the only sound was the sound of a page turning, "Was she carjacked by two people?"

The Doctor nodded, "Yes, she was, yeah."

"There we are." The woman cleared her throat, "Just one of those cars was designated for the fast lane. That means that they had three on board. And car number is four six four diamond six."

The Doctor beamed with his eyes sparking and a grin as wide as a Cheshire cat on his face. "That's it!" he said happily. "So how do we find them?"

"Ah. Now, there I'm afraid I can't help."

The Doctor grin faded slightly and the sparkle in his eyes sort of died as he turned to Bran, holding out the transmitter, "Call them on this thing. We got their number. Diamond six."

"Not if they're designated fast lane. That's a different class."

Now the grin was completely gone as was the sparkle in his eyes. The Doctor's face formed into a scowl as he clenched his jaw and his body stiffened. Martha tried to calm him down like Char did when she rubbed his back but he wouldn't let her touch him as he smacked her hands away, scowling. Martha scowled back at him, not liking this angry Doctor. She opened her mouth to snap at him, to say just because he was angry and worried about Charlene didn't mean that he could take it out on her, but she was interrupted.

"You could try the police."

"They put me on hold," The Doctor said through gritted teeth.

"You'll have to keep trying. There's no one else."

The Doctor closed his eyes for just a moment, took a deep breath, and nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly. He handed the transmitter back to Bran and his shoulders slumped as a sad look crossed his face.

Martha looked on, not with a scowl but her own sad look, wishing that she could do something even though she knew that she couldn't. There was nothing she could do. She wasn't Charlene…

* * *

Still looking out the window as she thought about wellbeing of the Doctor and Martha, Charlene watched as her car slowly descended through the massive lines of cars amongst the beeping, honking, and smoke.

_'How long have I been away from the Doctor?'_ She thought to herself, frowning. _'It must have been a couple hours…'_ Charlene sighed sadly. She wished that she could talk to him, just hearing his voice would be enough for her, but she didn't even have that. Her thoughts of the Doctor were broken by the sound of Milo's voice.

"See?" he said excitedly and Charlene moved up to the front to see what he was talking about. He was pointing to the screen that was there in the front and it showed the line that represented the car that they were it and it was moving from Level 39 to Level 43, "Another ten layers to go. We're scorching!"

Charlene smiled, first one she did since being kidnapped. She was happy for them. They were clearly ready to be out of there and they were one step closer to getting out.

Suddenly, there was low noise that sounded between a creak and a growl.

"What's that?" Charlene questioned, frowning. Before Milo or Cheer could reply, there was that sound again and her frown deepened as she kneeled down and pressed her ear to the floor of the car. She could hear the sound and it sounded as if there was more than just one thing making that sound but it was hard to tell. Charlene looked up at Cheen and Milo, who were looking down at her oddly, and she told them as she stood back to her feet, "The sound is coming from underneath…"

"It does have a noise, doesn't it? It's like Kate said. "The stories are true."

"What stories?" Charlene asked curiously.

"It's the sound of the air vents," Milo said exasperated. "That's all. The exhaust fumes travel down, so at the base of the tunnel they've got air vents."

"No, the stories are much better," Cheen retorted with a grin.

Milo chuckled, a little derisively, a little fondly, and looked away.

"They say people go missing on the motorway. Some cars just vanish, never to be seen again. 'Cause there's something living down there, in the smoke. Something huge. And hungry. And if you get lost on the road … it's waiting for you."

The rumbling sound got louder and louder and Milo and Cheen shared nervous looks while Charlene's eyebrows furrowed together in thought.

Milo shifted in his seat, "But like I said. Air vents." He pressed some buttons on the control, "Going to the next layer."

Finally Charlene spoke up. "I hate to say this, but air vents do not make that kind of noise," she told the couple. "Besides, look out there." She pointed outside, "Does it look like the air vents are even working?"

Cheen gulped, looking nervous as she looked outside, "No."

The sound kept on getting louder and now there was growling and crashing.

"So if it's not the air vents, what is that?" Charlene whispered.

Of course Milo didn't have the answer for that so he shook his head, dismissing it, "Nah. Kid stuff." He held up the transmitter to his mouth, "Car Four Six Five Diamond, on decent…"

* * *

The Doctor was tired of sitting here and doing nothing! He had to find Charlene. She could be hurt… or worse.

_'No!'_ The Doctor scolded himself as he shook his head internally. He couldn't think that way. Charlene was fine, just fine. The only way to get her back was to go to the fast lane… That thought in mind, the Doctor turned to Bran quickly.

"We've got to get to the fast lane. Take me down."

"Not in a million years," Bran said shortly.

"You've got three…" The Doctor quickly corrected himself when Martha cleared her throat, "Four passengers! That's more than enough!"

"I'm still not going."

"Take. Me. Down." The Doctor growled, the anger clear in his voice with every word, "That girl down there is the only person I have! She's the one person that I can't live without, the only one who was there when I needed her! I need to get her back. I'm asking you, Brannigan – _take me down_."

"That's a no!" Valerie snapped and the Doctor glared at her. "And that's final. I'm not risking the children down there."

"Down there?" Martha repeated before the Doctor could say anything, "What do you mean? Why can't you go down? What's the risk?" She asked curiously.

Valerie dismissed her questions angrily, "We're not discussing it! The conversation is closed!"

"So we keep driving." The Doctor huffed.

"Yes, we do."

"For how long?" He couldn't help but run a frustrated hand through his hair. The Doctor felt as if he was going to lose control any second. If Charlene was here, she would be either rubbing his back or squeezing his hand to calm him down. But she wasn't here to do that…

"'Till the Journey's End."

So the Doctor couldn't stop himself from leaning forward and snatching away the vocal transmitter. "Mrs. Cassini, this is the Doctor," he said into it, managing to keep his voice calm. "Tell me how long have you been on the motorway."

"Oh, we were amongst the first. It's been twenty-three years now."

"And in all that time, have you ever seen a police car?" As soon as he asked, the Doctor knew that they hadn't from the looks on Bran and Valerie's faces. They seemed disquieted by the fact that he had even brought it up.

"I'm not sure."

"Look at your notes," The Doctor pressed. "Any police?"

"Not as such."

"Or an ambulance? Rescue service? Anything official? Ever?"

"I can't keep note of everything." Mrs. Cassini sniffed annoyed.

"What if there's no one coming?"

"Doctor! You're scaring them!" Martha exclaimed, but he ignored her. He didn't give a damn right now if he was scaring them. He wanted them to think, realize what was in front of them. It was there but they didn't want to accept that _something_ was seriously wrong.

Bran reached up and angrily took the transmitter away from the Doctor. "Stop it," he snapped. "The Cassini's were doing you a favor."

"Someone's got to ask," The Doctor said firmly, leaning forward to meet Bran's eyes. "'Cause you may not talk about it, but it's there. In your eyes." His eyes showed it right now as he looked into them, "What if the traffic jam never stops?"

"There's a whole city above us. The mighty state of New, New York. They wouldn't just leave us."

"Then where are they? Hmm? What if there's no help coming, not ever? What if there's nothing? Just the motorway, the cars going round and round, never stopping forever."

"Shut up!" Valerie shouted and the Doctor looked at her. She looked scared. It didn't show in her face but it did in her eyes. "Just shut up!"

The screen at the front of the car suddenly blared to life. The news was starting up and Sally Calypso appeared on the screen.

"This is Sally Calypso, and it's that time again," she said. "The sun is blaring high in the sky over the New Atlantic, the perfect setting for the daily compilation."

"You think you know us so well, Doctor," Bran said and the Doctor looked away from Sally to him. "But we're not abandoned. Not while we have each other." He looked over at Valerie, who smiled slightly at what he said.

"This is for all of you out there on the roads." An apologetic look crossed Sally Calypso's face as she smiled sadly, "We're so sorry. Drive safe." She disappeared from the screen as music sounded, a hymen.

The Doctor and Martha watched as they started singing along to the lyrics. By the end of it, Valerie and Martha had tears in her eyes.

"If you won't take me," The Doctor started off saying after a moment of silence. "I'll go down there myself." He scrambled to the middle of the car and pulled out the sonic screwdriver only to start inspecting the floor with it. He didn't have to look up to know that Bran, Martha, and Valerie turned to him in shock.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" Martha asked in disbelief.

"Finding my own way like I always do," he responded simply.

"Capsule open." A door in the floor opened, revealing the hundreds of cars below them, and one car pulled up right underneath the opening."

"Here we go," The Doctor said as he prepared to jump. He looked up at Martha, "You stay up here. It's safer." She opened her mouth to protest but he didn't give her time to as he pulled off his overcoat and threw it over to them.

Valerie was the one to catch it.

"Look after this." He looked at it fondly, "Janice Joplin gave me that coat."

"But you can't jump!" Valerie cried with wide eyes.

"If it's any consolation, Valerie, right now, _I'm_ having kittens." He looked up at Valerie, Martha, and Bran, "Bye then!"

With that, he jumped down and safely landed on top of the next car, coughing because of the fumes.

"He's completely insane!"

"That, and a bit magnificent!"

_'I'm going to get you back Charlene, I promise.'_ The Doctor thought to himself determinedly as he drew the sonic across the top of the car to open it up.

* * *

_'What was going on?'_ Charlene thought to herself in frustration as she stared at the screen dejectedly along with Cheen and Milo. For whatever reason, all of the exits to get out of the fast lane were closed. Just when she thought she was close to seeing the Doctor again, this was happening. Milo and Cheen especially Cheen weren't taking this well either.

"Try again," Cheen told her boyfriend in demanding tone.

He did as she asked and tapped 'Exit 1' on the screen. But like last time, at the bottom of the screen, large red message beeped, "Junction Closed."

"Brooklyn Turnover One closed."

"Try the next one."

"Brooklyn Turnover Two closed."

Cheen let out an anguished moan and Charlene rubbed her shoulder as comforting as she could, "What are we going to do?"

"We keep going round," Milo answered, trying and failing to sound comforting. He was getting just as frantic as she was, "We'll do the whole loop. By the time we come back round, they'll be open."

The rumbling noise sounded again, this time seemingly more violent causing Milo and Cheen to look around in a panic.

Charlene didn't though. Someone had to be the calm one and again it had to be her.

"You're still calling that air vents?" she said to Milo, giving him a pointed look.

"What else could it be?"

"I don't know, but it's definitely not air vents." To her, it sounded as if it was some kind of monster. Charlene didn't voice this thought out loud though, not wanting to scare them more than they already were. Not only that, it was clear from their faces that they really didn't want to know.

Once again, there was that noise.

"What the hell was that?" Cheen squeaked.

"It's just – hydraulics."

"Look I know you're scared, but that's not what that noise is," Charlene said seriously, having enough of him ignoring what was really going on. "Something _alive_ is down _there_. A _monster_."

"It's all exhaust fumes out there," Milo denied and she sighed to herself exasperatingly, and he immediately protested, "Nothing could breathe in that."

"Calling Car Four Six Five Diamond Six." An electronic voice came from the transmitter. "Repeat, calling Car Four Six Five Diamond Six."

Milo picked up the transmitter, a curious look on his face as he spoke. "This is Car Four Six Five Diamond Six. Who's that? Where are you?"

"I'm in the fast lane, about fifty yards behind," A female voice replied and she sounded frantic causing Charlene to be immediately worried. "Can you get back up? Can you get off the fast lane?"

"We only have permission to go down. We – we need to get to the Brooklyn Flyover."

"It's closed. Go back up."

"We can't," Milo protested as if he hadn't heard her about it being closed. "We'll just go round."

The voice now sounded frustrated, "Don't you understand? They're closed. They're always closed."

Cheen clapped her hands over her mouth, in more distress than ever, as she let out frightened gasps. Charlene rubbed her shoulders soothingly.

"Calm down," she instructed. "Being distress isn't good for the baby, take deep breaths." Cheen did as she asked, nodding her head.

"We're stuck down here. And there's something else. Out there in the fog. Can't you hear it?"

Charlene listened while still rubbing Cheen's shoulders as she continued to take deep calming breaths and sure enough, there was the sound of definite shrill roaring outside.

"That's the air vent."

"Jehovah! What are you, some stupid kid? Get out of here!" There was screaming on the other end of the line, two of the screams sounded like little girls, and there was crashing too. All the while there was that roaring sound.

Having enough, Charlene stopped rubbing Cheen's shoulder and leaned forward, taking the transmitter away from Milo. She glared at him as he started to protest but after that glare, he shut his mouth. Charlene brought the transmitter to her mouth.

"What was that? Tell me what's going on?" she demanded, but all she got was screaming.

"I can't move! They've got us!"

"What's happening?!" Again, she didn't get a reply as more screams sounded in her ear and Charlene cursed, "Dammit! What's got you? What is it?" But all she got was something unintelligible and more screaming. "Hello? Please say something!"

"Just drive you idiots!" The voice screeched. "Get out of here! Get out!"

"You heard her!" Charlene shouted at Milo, throwing the transmitter to the front of the car. "Drive!"

"But where?"

"Just go straight ahead and fast!" When he didn't do it, she shouted again, "GO!"

Finally he drove forward as fast as he could while Cheen sobbed, giving up on trying to calm down.

"What is it? What's out there? What is it?"

"I don't know," Charlene whispered, running a hand through her hair. She closed her eyes. _'Doctor… wherever you are ... please find out what's going on before it's too late…'_

* * *

"Capsule Open." The Doctor jumped down into the car he was trying to get into, surprising the man that was there as he whirled around to face the Doctor with wide eyes.

"'Scuse me, is that legal?" he asked.

"Sorry, Motorway Foot Patrol..." But the Doctor was coughing too hard to finish what he said to everyone else he dropped down on, "Whatever." He coughed again as he looked over at the man, "Have you got any water?"

"Certainly. Never let it be said I've lost my manners." The man reached over to the water cooler, filling a cone-shaped clear plastic cup and holding it out to the Doctor.

He took it and drained it immediately. The Doctor swallowed the water, sat down the cup, and looked over at the man.

"Is this the last layer?" he asked.

The man nodded, "Ah, we're right at the bottom. Nothing below us but the fast lane."

"Can we drive down?"

The man looked at him like he was mad, not that he wasn't but he was being completely serious, "There's only two of us. You need three to come down."

The Doctor knew that he could have brought Martha down here too, but she was safer with Bran and Valerie. He had already put her in danger (if Charlene hadn't saved her, she would have been captured instead) by lying to her about Gallifrey and he didn't want to put her in anymore danger.

"Couldn't we just cheat?" The Doctor suggested.

"Well, I'd love to, but it's an automated system. The wheel would just lock."

The Doctor stood there for a moment, thinking about what Valerie said. About something being down there in the fast lane. Since he was here, he might as well take a look. That thought in mind, he said to the man,

"If you'll excuse me." He ran over to the door in the bottom of the car, using the sonic to flip it open.

"You can't just jump. It's a thousand feet down."

"No, I just want to look," The Doctor reassured. He stared down into the thick, murky fog, dotted with tiny lights. Faintly, from a distance, he could hear a screeching roar and he frowned, "What's that noise?"

The man, who was now by the Doctor, paled slightly as he gulped, "I try not to think about it."

"What are those lights? What's down there?" As he asked these questions, the smoke went to his lungs and the Doctor coughed, waving a hand in front of his face to sweep away the fog, "I just need to see." He mused to himself as he ran up to the screen in the front of the car, pointing the sonic at the display. His mind was growing with ideas as it always did when something peeked his interest, which was mostly all the time. "There must be some sort of ventilation. If I could just transmit a pulse through this thing, maybe I could trip the system, give us a bit of breeze." After a couple minutes, he was now playing with the wiring of the front console, helped by the sonic, and one of the wires snapped in his fingers and he grinned, "That's it! Might shift the fumes a bit, give us a good look."

The business man and the Doctor went back to staring down at the fog.

"What are those shapes?" The business man asked as huge snapping claws materialize in the fading smoke.

"They're alive." The Doctor commented, stating the obvious.

"What the hell are they?" It wasn't that much longer until they were able to see that 'they' looked like extremely large crabs and the lights were their eyes. The Doctor recognized them immediately and his face darkened as he said with deadly recognition,

"Macra."

* * *

"Go faster!" Cheen cried panicked.

Though Charlene tried to stay calm, she was starting to freak out as well.

"I'm at top speed!"

The screen in the front of the car flashed the words, "Proximity Warning."

"No access from above."

"But this is an emergency!" Milo protested into the transmitter as the car zoomed through the sea of Macra. Charlene figured out what they were from the claws that were hitting the car even as they tried to avoid them.

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold."

"Turn everything off!" Charlene exclaimed suddenly and Milo looked at her startled.

"You got to be joking."

"Does this look like a face that's joking?" she snapped, pointing to her serious face. "Now, do what I say?! Turn _everything_ off!" She took a calming breath and explained, now sounding calm, "Just listen to me, how can they see us? There's all that fog out there. So it must be the engines, the sound, or the heat or the light. So just turn everything's off, they might not be able to find us if we do."

"What if you're wrong?"

"Just don't question me about it, just do it!" Charlene cried exasperated. Geez, was this how the Doctor felt when someone questioned him?

Thankfully, he didn't question her again and went for it, flicking switches at the top of the car and on the console. Just like she thought, it worked. Now they just sat in silence, in an unmoving car, no longer jerking around, no longer screaming.

"See?" Charlene smiled smugly.

"They've stopped." Cheen looked relived.

"Yeah, but they're still out there," Milo pointed out.

"Yeah they are…" Charlene said quietly.

Cheen changed the subject, not wanting to discuss _that_, as she looked over at Charlene. "How did you think of that?"

"Oh I'm just that good," Charlene joked, trying to make the situation lighter. She shook her head, "But seriously… I just saw it on a film." Cheen and Milo looked as if they wanted to laugh if they weren't so scared. She wished she could make it better for them, but as long as they were down here, there was nothing she could do. "But they used to do it on submarines." She sighed, "But unfortunately, I can't remember what they used to do next."

"Well, you better think of something, because we've lost the aircon. If we don't switch the engines back on, we won't be able to be breathe."

"How long have we got?" Charlene asked, not really wanting to know but she needed to ask.

Milo sighed, "Eight maximum."

Cheen was now softly crying. Everything was starting to look bleak, but Charlene had to keep hoping that the Doctor would save everyone like he always did.

-0-

The car was still quiet. Milo and Cheen were considerably calmer than they were. Charlene could tell that they were starting to lose hope that someone would save them. Charlene was the only one who wasn't as she kept on reminding herself that the Doctor was still out there and he no doubt would figure out a way to save everyone. Charlene would never doubt him and after everything they had been through, she couldn't.

"How much air's left?"

"Two minutes."

"The Doctor," Charlene said softly and the two looked at her. "My boyfriend, the one who was with me and Martha, my friend or well sort of friend, I don't know her all that well. But the Doctor … he's out there. He'll save us."

"Charlene, no one's coming."

"The Doctor _is_." She nodded confidently, "He's never let me down before."

"He looked kind of nice."

Charlene chuckled softly at Cheen's comment. "He's a bit more than that." She smiled to herself, "He's everything to me. I have never loved another person as much as I love him. He's the only person that I got." She looked down at her feet sadly, "All of my family is gone…"

"I'm so sorry," Cheen smiled at her sadly, patting her on the knee. "Can I …" She hesitated and Charlene met her eyes, "Ask how they died?"

"Oh, they're not dead." A confused look crossed Cheen's face and she added, "It's complicated."

Before she could say anything else, Milo spoke up. "So, um, who is he then? This Doctor?" he questioned.

"He's help," Charlene answered honestly. "He's the one person you can turn when you need something. You can trust him. If you could see what he could do, you would trust him with your life. But since he's not here … right now … you just have to trust me." She looked at both Cheen and Milo, "Both of you. He _will_ save us, and _everyone_ here on the motorway, even if it kills him in the process."

Milo looked like he didn't believe it, but he nodded anyway. "Right," he said as he turned the car back on.

"Systems back on line."

The light turned back on, and Milo gripped Cheen's hand briefly. "Good luck," he told Charlene.

She nodded, "And you."

And the attack started once again.

* * *

The Doctor stared into the screen at the Senate, specs on now. He brightened at what he saw and grinned, eyes sparkling.

"Car Four Six Five Diamond Six – it still registers! That's Charlene. That girlfriend of mine, she's just brilliant! Almost as much as me!" He looked back at Novice Hame, who over by the Face of Boe, "Novice Hame, hold that in place." He jumped back from the screen to hand her a piece of thick tubing. Once she got it, he ran along its length, jumping over a box of lights and button, and he muttered to himself out loud, "Think, think, think. Take the residual energy, invert, feed it through the electricity beds."

"There's isn't enough power," Novice Hame told him.

The Doctor finally reached his destination, a far wall with two screens, lots of wiring, and even _more_ buttons, "Ah, you've got power! You've got me! I'm brilliant with computers, just you watch." He turned to her and pointed at her, an excited, manic grin on his face as he grew more and more excited. Charlene would be laughing right now if she saw him and he was on step closer to getting her back. "Hame, switch on that bank, up to maximum!" She did as he asked and he ran over to the floor and started rotating a knob down there, aiming the sonic at it as well. "I can't power up the city, but all the city needs is people." He banged his fist on the console and jumped to his feet.

Novice Hame looked over at him, "So what are you going to do?"

"This!" The Doctor grinned widely as he flipped a two mete long switch on the floor. But unfortunately, it did the opposite of what he wanted happened.

The lights turned off.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor shouted in horror. Quickly thinking though, he went back to kneeling on the floor and waved the sonic at another set of controls, "The transformers are blocked. The signal can't get through." This was not good. Not good at all. He ran a weary hand down his face before getting back to trying to get it to work.

"Doctor…" The Face of Boe's voice came but he waved him off, still busy.

"Yeah, hold on, not now."

"I give you my last…" The Face of Boe let out a long, rasping breath, and every console switched back on. Everything was powered up. The Doctor leaped up again, suddenly illuminated.

"Hame, look after him!" he shouted. "Don't you go dying on me, you big old face. You've got to see this!" He flicked the huge switch again while Novice Hame busily turned a wheel next to the Face of Boe, "The open road! Hah!" He laughed happily.

-0-

Suddenly, the screen in the front of the car Charlene was in showed the Doctor's face, "Oi! Car Four Six Five Diamond Six! Charlene! Drive up!"

"That's the Doctor!" Charlene exclaimed, happily. She felt like crying and she did, her eyes filling up with tears. She was happy that she could see his face again. For a moment there, she thought she would never see him again.

"We can't go up! We'd hit the layer!"

"Just do as he says!" Charlene told Milo loudly. "Go up!"

"You've got access above! Now go!"

And they did, heading for the opening above. As soon as they got through, the sunlight hit their faces as they gazed up and Charlene grinned, happy to see the sun again. Cheen was so happy too and had tears in her eyes.

"It's daylight! Oh my God. That's the sky, the real sky!" she cheered.

"He did it!" Charlene shrieked with laughter as she clapped her hands before giving Cheen a huge hug. "I told you that he would save us!" Milo and Cheen kissed and she watched, eyes gleaming happily.

"You keep driving, Brannigan, all the way up! 'Cause it's here, just waiting for you. The City of New, New York. And it's yours. Oh and I've sent you a flight path to the Senate so you can drop Martha off. _And_ don't forget, I want my coat back. Aaaand, Car Four Six Five Diamond Six, I've sent you a flight path also. To the Senate."

Charlene grabbed the transmitter and said, barely unable to contain her grin, "On my way!" Her hearts were so much lighter hearing his voice again and now she was another step closer to seeing him face to face.

"It's been quite a while since I saw you, love."

Charlene touched his face softly on the screen, smiling to herself, still with the transmitter. "Yes, it has. You have no idea how much I've missed you."

"Me too." His eyes peered into hers lovingly on the screen, "I love you, Carly."

"I love you too. See you in a bit." Charlene put the transmitter and leaned back, looking over at Cheen and Milo, who had been watching her and the Doctor. She blushed.

Cheen grinned, "Let's get you back to that Doctor of yours."

Charlene nodded in agreement as she grinned back at her.

-0-

As soon as they got there, Charlene leaped happily into the Senate, pausing when she saw the skeleton on the floor. She frowned. She knew that wasn't the Doctor… so who was it? Martha was nowhere in sight either. She probably hadn't made it here yet.

"Doctor!" Charlene called.

"Right here." He appeared before her and she joyfully laughed, running over to him. He caught her in his arms and spun her around, both of them laughing. Happy to be in each other's arms again. The Doctor set her back down on her and she kissed him with all that she had. It was only when she pulled back that she noticed the sad look in his eyes. She knew something had happened just looking in those big sad eyes of his.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly, placing a hand on his cheek.

"Follow me." Charlene broke the hug and he took a hold of her hand, entwining their fingers together, as he led her to another part of the Senate.

She gasped at what she saw as soon as they got there. It was the Face of Boe. Charlene let go of his hand and ran over there, kneeling before him. She hadn't taken notice to Novice Hame. As she looked at the Face of Boe, Charlene couldn't help but tear up even though she had no idea why.

"What's wrong with him?" she finally asked, looking at the Doctor who was now kneeling before the Face of Boe as well.

"My lord gave his life to save the city."

Charlene looked at Novice Hame startled. "You!" she exclaimed as soon as she recognized her, pointing a finger at her. "What is she doing here?" She asked, looking over at the Doctor.

"It's okay, Carly, she's good now," The Doctor told her. "She helped."

Novice Hame blushed, "Well, it was the Face of Boe who did most of the work."

"Oh." Charlene moved her finger away, laughing sheepishly, "Okay."

"Doctor! Charlene!" Martha's voice called.

"Over here," they called back.

"Doctor! Charlene!" She ran over to them with the Doctor's overcoat in her arms, but she stopped at the sight of them kneeling before the Face of Boe with Novice Hame. She frowned.

"What's that?" she asked.

"It's the Face of Boe." When Martha didn't take a step forward, the Doctor continued on, reassuringly, "Come and say hello. This is Hame, another cat. Don't worry." Finally Martha approached them and he looked back at the Face of Boe, "He's the one that saved everyone. Not me."

"My lord gave his life to save the city," Novice Hame repeated what she said to Charlene sadly as Martha kneeled next to her. "And now he's dying."

"No, don't say that," The Doctor said sternly. "Not old Boe. Plenty of life left."

Charlene knew though that he was just telling himself that to make himself feel better because if you just looked at the Face of Boe, you could see that he looked like he was going to die at any moment.

"It's good to breathe the air once more," The Face of Boe said.

"Who is he?"

"I don't know," The Doctor admitted, gazing at the Face of Boe.

_'That was something that we both don't know.'_ Charlene thought to herself, but then frowned internally, _'Then why do I feel as if I should know who he was…?'_ This wasn't the first she had a feeling that she should know, but she could never figure out why she got those feelings. It was mystery.

"Legend says the Face of Boe has lived for a billion years," The Doctor continued softly, snapping Char out of her thoughts. "Isn't that right? And you're not about to give up now."

"Everything has its time," The Face of Boe said wisely. "You know that, old friend, better than most."

The Doctor went quiet and Charlene grabbed his hand, squeezing it, to show that she was here. He squeezed her back and kissed the back of it before pulling it back down and squeezing her hand again.

"The legend says more."

Charlene felt the Doctor's grip on her hand tighten as he looked over at Novice Hame stiffly, "Don't. There's no need for that."

"It says that the Face of Boe will speak his final secret to a traveler."

"Yeah but not yet," The Doctor said. From his tone, he clearly wanted her to shut up. "Who needs secrets, eh?"

"I have seen too much. Perhaps too much. I am the last of my kind – as you _were_ the last of yours." The Face of Boe's eyes looked over at Charlene.

Suddenly, she heard the Face of Boe's voice in her head and she almost gasped at the suddenness of it.

_'Stay safe, Charlene Tyler…' _She looked at him surprised that he recognized her as Charlene, considering she looked different._ "And don't let anyone **control** you.'_

Charlene frowned and would have questioned it but the Doctor spoke up before she could. He desperately didn't want the Face of Boe to go and she could tell that this was hitting him much harder than the death of his … their planet. Their beautiful Gallifrey. Gone. Forever. Never to be seen again.

"That's why we have to survive," The Doctor said. He glanced Charlene then back at the Face of Boe, eyes pleading with him. "All three of us. Don't go."

"I must. But know this Time Lords, you are not alone more than you know." The Face of Boe closed his eyes for the last time and the Doctor stared at him astounded as Martha looked on with respect and Novice Hame began to sob.

The Doctor's gaze snapped away from the Face of Boe to look at Charlene with a question in his eyes, "What did he mean by that?"

She answered his question with her eyes too, "I don't know…"

Martha was the first one to stand up and Charlene followed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, while looking at the Doctor, who stayed kneeled down for a couple more minutes before following. He stood beside Charlene and she held out her free hand for him to take. He took it, entwined their fingers, and stared at the Face of Boe sadly.

* * *

After leaving the Senate, they were back to where they had started. Pharmacy Town. The first thing Martha noticed about it as they sauntered through it was that it was deserted. Something she knew the Doctor would be happy about. He was walking in front of her, arm around Charlene's waist as she leaned against his side. She was practically snuggled at his side. He hadn't let go of her since they left the Senate, not wanting her to get out of his sight.

"All closed down," The Doctor said.

"Happy?" Martha asked with a small grin.

"Happy, happy," he answered jokingly, stopping to look at her.

She laughed softly and Charlene shook her head at them. The Doctor grinned down at her, pulling her closer and leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. He let go of Char and went over to inspect one of the empty booths.

"New, New York can start again. And they've got Novice Hame. Just what every city needs – cats in charge! Come on, time we were off." He began to stroll away with Charlene behind him.

But Martha stayed put. "But what did he mean, the Face of Boe?" she asked. The Doctor and Charlene and turned around to look at her, "You're not alone more than you know."

The couple shared a look before they looked back at Martha.

"I don't know," The Doctor told her.

"We both don't," Charlene added. "It could mean anything."

Martha stepped forward, smiling, "You've got me. Is that what he meant?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't think so. Sorry."

Well that wasn't the answer she was looking for. Martha frowned. She was tired of them especially the Doctor, treating her as if she didn't matter.

"Then what?"

"Doesn't matter. Back to the TARDIS, off we go." The Doctor went to leave again with Charlene.

Martha didn't follow as she grabbed a fallen chair and pulled it up, sitting on it primly and folding her arms.

The Doctor heard this and turned back around with an annoyed look on his face, "All right, you staying?"

"'Till you talk to me properly, yes," Martha said stubbornly. "He said, "_Were _the last of your kind." What did that mean?"

"It really doesn't matter." He started to leave once again, but this time Charlene didn't go, staring at Martha for a moment before she looked at the Doctor, who was still walking away.

"Doctor," she called after him softly. He stopped but didn't turn around, "We can't keep lying to her. We have to tell her the truth."

"We don't have to tell her anything," he said shortly in reply.

"Yes we do, _you_ know that we do," Charlene went on gently. He didn't answer.

Not that he had to because all around them, the sound of music was rising. It was the New, New, New York citizens, singing another hymn. Martha stood up enchanted by it.

"It's the city," she said in awe. "They're singing." She looked at the Doctor. Charlene was now beside him, talking to him quietly. She watched as she grabbed his chin to get him to look at her while still talking to him. Finally the Doctor nodded, closing his eyes for a moment before looking over at Martha.

"We lied to you," he admitted. "_I _lied to you, 'cause I liked it. I could pretend. We both could. Just for a bit, we could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky."

Martha looked shocked, but she was sad for him. For the both of them. Charlene had tears in her eyes and she just wanted to go over there and hug her.

"We're not just Time Lords, we're the Last of the Time Lords. The Face of Boe was wrong. There's no one else besides me and Charlene."

"What happened?" Martha asked the Doctor and Charlene gently.

They stood there for a moment until they grabbed their own chairs to sit across from her. Charlene was the first one to start speaking as the singing continued,

"There was this war…"

* * *

Once they got back to the TARDIS, Martha went to the bathroom leaving Charlene and the Doctor along in the console room. Charlene kept an eye on the Doctor as he went over to console only to pretend to be busy doing something on there. She knew that he was pretending. She always knew. She also knew that he was blaming himself for the Face of Boe's death. If there was one thing that she hated about his personality, it was that he _always _blamed himself for things that wasn't his fault. He blamed himself for destroying Gallifrey. But even though he did do it, he did it for the sake of the universe. He did what he thought was right.

"Doctor, the Face of Boe dying … wasn't your fault? You know that, right?" Charlene asked gently.

He didn't meet her eyes. "Yea, I know, Carly."

"Doctor, it's me…"

He finally met her eyes, "It was my fault. It's always my fault." He said bitterly.

"It's not always your fault, things just happen, Doctor," Charlene said, stepping closer to him. "People die every second of every day and there's nothing you can do about it…"

"I know that Charlene! I know that better than anyone!" The Doctor shouted angrily and Charlene flinched, but stayed where she was as he stepped closer to her with every word. "But everything is my fault! I try so hard to prevent bad things from happening but I never can … I tried to save Rose from falling into the void … I tried to find another way to stop the Time War and I couldn't. I didn't try hard enough so I just took the easy way out. I took the cowardly way out. I destroyed other civilizations and planets." He continued ranting at her and she just let him, but after a while, she was getting sick of him blaming himself for things that were out of his control so she smacked him hard across the face.

The Doctor wheeled back from her shocked, "What was that for?!" He glared at her.

"To stop you from blaming yourself!" Charlene yelled, hands on her hips. "I'm tired of it! You just need to stop! Blaming yourself _isn't_ going to help, it _isn't_ going to bring back Gallifrey! It _isn't_ going to bring back Rose! IT JUST ISN'T!" By the time she was finished, her face was flushed and her chest was going up and down as she took deep breaths.

Then all of the sudden, the Doctor swept her up in his arms and kissed her hard and passionately.

She returned the kiss, throwing her arms around his neck and looping her legs around his waist as he roughly pushed her up against the console. Charlene moaned and he slipped his tongue into her mouth, immediately finding hers and starting a rough battle for dominance. He ran his hands down her back, using them to push her body closer to his. Charlene fisted her hands into his hair and gripped it as she pressed her lips harder against his and sucked hard on his tongue making him moan. His hands were gone from her back and now rested on her bum, fingers moving around, feeling everywhere. Charlene moaned into his mouth pleasantly as warmth filled her from head to toe. If she got this type of reaction from him from smacking and yelling at him, she should do it more often.

"Doctor? Charlene?" Martha's awkward voice sounded and their kiss stopped.

Quickly, the Doctor let go of Charlene. She would have fell to the ground if she hadn't grabbed the console. The Doctor jumped away from her, blushing brightly.

"Martha!" he squeaked. "We were just… excuse me … be back in a moment…" He ran out of the console room.

Charlene wiped the back of her mouth, smiling sheepishly at Martha, "Hello, what's up?"

**TBC...**

**In...**

**Daleks In Manhattan, Part 1...**

**I know that Martha didn't really have a big part in this episode, but she will be in the next episode. I truly think that the Daleks In Manhattan and the Evolution of the Daleks are the two Martha episodes that really show how truly amazing she really is. That's what I thought when I rewatched those episodes after I got over the fact that Martha took Rose's place. She's one of my top favorite companions. **

**So what do you guys think of the message the Face of Boe (Jack) gave Charlene? It may or may not be a hint to what's going to happen in the final two episodes of season four ;) ****His message to the Doctor was still the same except for the fact that I added, "More than you know." To the, "You are not alone." part lol. So for this story, the legend of Boe was wrong haha. Since he had two messages to two travelers. **

**But anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you thought of the last part of Gridlock! Until next time NBTS! :D**


	17. Daleks In Manhattan, Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who, but I do own Charlene (The Protector) and any other characters I make up!

**Author's Note: **Now up to 157 reviews! Keep the reviews coming!

Charlene's outfit for this episode is on my polyvore :)

Mentions of the CCW S2 episode called the Idiot's Lantern in this part just an interesting little thing before you read the chapter lol.

Oh and this part is all in Charlene's POV.

* * *

It was safe to say after the awkward encounter with Martha interrupting their intimate moment, the Doctor didn't look at her the entire time as he set a new destination for them into the past but when he did look at her, he would just blush. Charlene really couldn't help but laugh to herself every time she saw that. It was just funny seeing him all flushed and embarrassed. It was just too easy to get him embarrassed. In her previous regeneration, it was easy to get her embarrassed too but this body was definitely more self-confident than the last and it took a lot to get her to blush … most of the time anyway.

Feeling the TARDIS land, Martha was the first one out the door and Charlene went to follow by the Doctor grabbed her shoulder and she looked over at him to see an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier, Carly. I was just…"

"I know," Charlene interrupted him before he could say more with an understanding look on her face, "its fine. Besides…" She smirked as she moved in close, playing with the labels of the blue suit he now wore and looking up at him with flirty eyes, "The end result was worth it."

"Really?" It was the Doctor's turn to smirk as he looped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

Charlene put her arms around his neck as she continued to look up at him while grinning, "Really, really." Still smirking he leaned down to kiss her but she quickly moved out of his arms before he could. She winked at him, her grin widening at the Doctor's pout, "Sorry, sweetie. But we can't keep Martha waiting."

She turned a heel and swayed her hips seductively. She heard him groan and looking over her shoulder at him, she saw him heading her way, still pouting and grumbling to himself. She rolled her eyes at him amused. He could be big baby sometimes. She chuckled to herself just as the Doctor made it over to her. Holding hands, they walked out of the TARDIS. Martha was outside, looking around.

"Where are we?" she asked without even looking back at them.

"Ahh!" The Doctor breathed in, grinning as he spread his arms out. "Smell that Atlantic breeze. Nice and cold."

"You're telling me," Charlene said, shivering, as she pulled her leather jacket closer to her. Of course, she felt warmer when the Doctor put his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side causing her to snuggle into him.

"Lovely." The Doctor glanced up for a moment, his grin widening, before he looked over at Martha, "Martha, have you met my friend?" He looked back up with Martha and Charlene following his gaze. They were now looking up at the Statue of Liberty.

"Is that -?" Martha gaped at it, not finishing her sentence so Charlene finished it for her, nodding.

"The Statue of Liberty? Yes, it is."

"Oh my God!" Martha squealed excitedly, rocking on the heels of her feet, and Charlene shared another grin with the Doctor.

The Doctor looked back up at the Statue of Liberty, smiling, "Gateway to the New World. "Give me your tired, you poor huddled masses yearning to break free…'"

"That's so brilliant, I've always wanted to go to New York," Martha said. "I mean the real New York, not the new, new, new, new, new…" Together, they walked to the edge of the island with a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline.

"Oh me too," Charlene told Martha, who looked at her surprised.

"You've never been."

She shook her head, "Nope. The Doctor was _supposed_ to take me to see Elvis in New York, but we ended up going to London instead, on the day of Queen Elizabeth the 1st coronation."

"Wow, that's not far off at all," Martha said sarcastically with a small grin.

"Tell me about it! I ended up getting my face taken that day!"

"How did that happen?"

"There was this kind the Wire that was taking people's faces and I went to investigate over at this telly place, where everyone in London got their televisions from, and ended up getting my face taken by the Wire." Charlene rubbed her face, wincing just even thinking about it.

"Oh, it wasn't that bad," The Doctor protested but then corrected himself at the point look on Charlene's face, "Okay, the face taking was bad BUT it did bring us together." His arm returned around her waist as he smiled down at her.

Charlene nodded in agreement with a chuckle as she leaned against his side and looked up at him, lovingly. "Mmm yeah, that's true. That was the only good thing that happened on that little detour."

"That it was." Grinning, the Doctor kissed her forehead and Charlene smiled as he pulled away.

"How did_ that_ bring you guys together?" Martha asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later."

Martha nodded as she looked back at skyline, "I wonder what year it is 'cause look." She pointed to the Empire State Building, "The Empire State Building's not even finished yet."

"Work in process. Still got a couple floors to go, and if I know my history, that makes the date somewhere around –"

"November 1, 1930."

"You're getting good at this."

Charlene glanced at Martha and noticed she had read the date from a newspaper. "Oi, that's cheating," she said playfully glaring at her.

Martha rolled her eyes amused, nudging her in the side. "Eighty years ago," she said as the Doctor took the newspaper, but not before moving Charlene in front of him and he held the newspaper out so both of them could see it and she continued speaking but Charlene wasn't paying attention as she read the headline. It said:

_"Hoovervile Mystery Deepens."_

After she finished reading what was below it, she knew that they were going to be here much longer than they thought. People were being taken at night and no one knew why. Like always, it was up to the Doctor and Charlene to figure out what was going on.

"I think our detour just got longer," The Doctor told Martha as he showed her the headline.

"'Hoovervile Mystery Deepens.'" She read out loud before looking up at the Doctor and Charlene confused, "What's Hoovervile?"

-0-

"Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the USA, came to power a year ago." The Doctor started telling Martha as they walked through Central Park. "Up till then New York was a boom town, the Roaring Twenties, and then …"

"The Wall Street Crash, yeah? When was that, 1929?"

Charlene nodded as she walked alongside the Doctor, holding hands with him, "Yep. The whole economy wiped out completely."

"Thousands of people unemployed." The Doctor continued on from where she left off, "Suddenly the masses doubled in number with nowhere to go."

"So they ended up here in Central Park," Charlene finished and looked over at Martha, seeing the odd look on her face as she looked between her and the Doctor. He noticed the look too and they both said at the same time, their confusing tones mixing together, "What?"

"Nothing, it's just so odd watching you guys finish each other sentences."

"Really?" The Doctor titled his head to the side.

"We never noticed." Charlene shrugged.

Martha stared at them for a moment then shook her head changing the subject back to what they had been talking about, "So, what? They actually live in the park? In the middle of the city?" She asked as they arrived in Hoovervile.

Looking around, there was a collection of quickly put together shacks and tents with random fire barrels placed throughout. Charlene grew sad looking at all the people, who either lost jobs, didn't have any more money, or they couldn't pay the rent and they lost everything.

"Yes," she answered Martha's question quietly before the Doctor could say anything. "There's places like this all over America. We have all this money and we don't even help the people out there who need it. Ordinary people just like you and me. Suffering. You only come to Hoovervile when you have _nothing else _or_ nobody_ to turn to." Charlene stayed quiet after that, missing the fact that the Doctor and Martha shared concerned looks.

Sounds of a fight was being heard as they entered another part of Hoovervile. Seeing the crowd of Hoovervile residents heading towards the fight to what was going on, Charlene, the Doctor, and Martha joined the crowd of Hoovervile residents to see what was going on as well.

"That's enough!" An older man exclaimed as one of them men was being held back after trying to lunge at the other one. He took a deep breath and said calmly but still stern as he looked at the two men, "Now think real careful before you lie to me."

"I'm starvin' Solomon," The man, who the other one lunged at, said with pleading eyes and Charlene couldn't help but feel bad.

"That's so sad," she whispered, feeling the Doctor's arm wrap around her shoulders. Feeling a pat on her arm, she looked over at Martha who smiled sadly. She smiled back as she grabbed her hand and squeezed it before letting go of it and returning to look at what was happening now.

Solomon held out his hand, not saying anything. The man reached under his coat and pulled out the bread, handing it over to Solomon. He took it and spoke up.

"We're all starvi'." He broke the bread in half, "We all got families somewhere." He handed each man a half, giving them both serious looks, "No stealin' no fightin'. You know the rules. Thirteen years ago I fought in the great war." He gestured around at everyone who was watching, "All of us did. And the only reason we got through was because we stuck together! No matter how bad things get, we still act like human beings. It's all we got."

The two men went off in different directions and the crowd started to move away too. Since it seemed that this Solomon guy was the boss around here, they should start with him about the missing people. Charlene was the first one to speak up to the Doctor and Martha.

"Come on." She headed in Solomon's direction with them behind her. "Nice speech you gave," she said to Solomon with a polite smile, but he only blinked at her. She pretended not to notice, "Very inspiring. Are you the boss here?"

"And, uh, who might you be?"

"Oh, I'm Charlene, this is the Doctor, and this is Martha," Charlene answered, pointing at each of them.

Solomon looked over at the Doctor and looked him over. "A doctor." He scoffed as he headed over to a nearby fire with the Doctor, Charlene, and Martha following behind him, "Well, we got, stockbrokers, we got a lawyer, but you're the first doctor." Now over by the fire, he warmed his hands over it, "Neighborhood gets classier by the day."

Martha crossed her arms over her chest and she looked at Solomon. "How many people live here?" she asked.

"At any time, hundreds. No place else to go. But I will say this about Hoovervile…" Solomon stopped warming his hands and looked up at all three of them, "We are truly an equal society, black, white, all the same. All starving." He laughed, "So you're welcome. All three of you. But tell me this Doctor, you're man of learning, right?" The Doctor didn't say anything so he continued speaking, "Explain this to me." He pointed at the Empire State Building, "That there's going to be the tallest building in the world. How come they can do that, and we got people starving in the heart of Manhattan?"

"I don't know," Charlene whispered as she watched him walk away, ignoring the Doctor and Martha staring at her, "I truly don't…"

-0-

A little while later, they approached Solomon again. He was back over at his tent, throwing coffee dregs into the fire that was outside.

"So…" The Doctor started, getting his attention. He pulled out the newspaper from his coat and showed it to Solomon, "Men are going missing. Is this true?"

Solomon took the newspaper and nodded as he headed into his tent, "It's all true."

Charlene stood next to the Doctor at the opening of the tent, staring at Solomon who was now inside and sitting down. Martha stood behind the two, peeking through the opening in the middle of them.

"But what does missing mean?" The Doctor asked. "Men must come and go here all the time."

"Yeah." Charlene nodded in agreement, "I mean, it's not like you have a registry."

Solomon gestured them to come inside, "Sit down." They came in and sat down. The Doctor sat by Solomon, hand on his chin, while Martha sat across. Charlene – on the other – decided to stay standing up with her arms crossed over to her chest, listening intently as he spoke up. "This is different."

"In what way?"

"Someone takes them," Solomon answered Martha. "At night. We hear something. Someone calls for help. By the time we get there, they're gone. Like they vanish into thin air."

"And you're sure something's taking them?"

"Doctor, when you got next to nothing, you hold on to the little you got. Your knife, blanket, you take it with you. You don't leave bread uneaten, fire still burning."

"Have you been to the police?"

Solomon rolled his eyes, "Yeah, we tried that. Another dead beat goes missing, big deal."

Martha nodded sympathetically as a young man, who looked around Charlene or Martha's age, stuck his head inside the tent.

"Solomon, Mr. Diagoras is here." Once he disappeared, they stood up and went outside to the crowd of people that were standing before a man with slicked-back hair, dark pinstriped suit, and spats. There was also two other men standing on either side of him. Charlene didn't trust this man immediately. Something was incredible off. She was always good at reading people.

"I don't like this," Charlene said quietly to the Doctor. He didn't say anything as he found her hand and squeezed it.

"I need men," Mr. Diagoras announced. "Volunteers. I got a little work for you and you sure look like you can use the money."

"Yeah." The young man who had poked his head into Solomon's tent nodded in agreement, "What is the money?"

"A dollar a day."

All of the men grumbled at that. A dollar wasn't nearly enough. They needed more than that. Charlene squeezed the Doctor's hand tight as she stared at Diagoras with a glare on her face.

"What's the work?" Solomon questioned, raising his voice over the grumbles.

"A little trip down the sewers. Got a tunnel that collapsed needs clearing and fixing. Any takers?"

"A dollar a day? That's slave wage," Solomon said, saying exactly what Char was thinking. "Men don't always come back up, do they?"

"Accidents happen."

"What do you mean? What sort of accidents?" The Doctor called out.

"You don't need the work? That's fine." Diagoras looked around at the crowd, "Anyone else?" The Doctor raised his free hand and he looked at him annoyed, "Enough with the questions."

"Oh, n-n-no. I'm volunteering."

Charlene looked at him and he met her eyes, giving her a pointed look. She sighed, raising her free hand.

Martha raised her hand too, giving the Doctor an exasperated look, "I'll kill you for this." He just gave her a small grin as Solomon and the young man raised their own hands.

As they followed Diagoras to the sewer, Charlene couldn't stop the feeling of dread that _something_ was going to happen tonight. She only wished that she knew what it was…

**TBC...**

**In...**

**The Daleks In Manhattan, Part 2...**

**And there's the first part of this episode! This episode and the next one are going to be so fun to work on. As we get to see the Doctor and Charlene on opposite sides ... you'll see what I mean when I get there ;) Anyway, please leave reviews and tell me what you thought of the first part! **


End file.
